Necessary Tears

"In my deepest wound I saw your glory, and it dazzled me!" - St. Augustine

Hannah shed a lot of tears, but God refreshed her soul with a son - Samuel. Hmm!

It's the shortest verse in the bible - "Jesus wept!" but yet one with purpose and strength for us. He wept at the death of his friend, Lazarus. For himself and all the others suffering through the grief. It's a sign given to us to teach us tears in grief, distress, or heartache are somehow a balm or soothing agent to our emotional state at the time. They help to wash away some of the heaviness of the moment, and yet help refresh the heart with life giving hope so that we might move forward as life goes on. They are a God-given gift. The bible does promise that someday in glory there will be no more need for tears. Amen! But just as some appliances/toys state "batteries are required" know that in this life tears are necessary, but God keeps score.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"....record my lament; list my tears on your scroll - are they not in your record." - Psalm 56:8

You Can't Run Away

Your wound may not be your fault, but your healing is your responsibility. – Anon

Elijah tried to run away from it all, but God told him to go back and deal with life. Hmm!

The metaverse! Virtual reality games! Expensive trips to outer space…. all geared to give us time out of this present reality. Why, because whether we want to admit it or not life is an ‘interactive’ sport. Others around us – family, friends, acquaintances, etc. – do have a bearing on our well-being. And sometimes for better or worse their actions and our responses make impressions on our psyche that can have a negative, painful impact. That’s life, you can’t run from it. The question is what do we do after the fact? We can let them make us bitter, resentful, divisive, and angry OR we can seek the healing we need to help us grow. No matter the depth or ‘severity’ of the wound, God, The Great Physician; has a cure. As Jesus asked the man sitting by the pool some 38 years waiting to get in the water: do you want to get well? Well, do you? It’s not in running away from God’s design, it’s running to Him.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” – Psalm 139:7