God knows where your tears are coming from. He collects them all.

“Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

Proverbs 30:5 ESV

The tears we cry, whether we’re happy, sad, angry, confused, or overwhelmed, are precious. 
Lindsey Wheeler, Sacred Tears

I’ve been missing my Dad quite a bit lately and he’s been gone for years. He and I were very similar in many ways… one of them that neither of us could be considered to be stoic, indifferent or apathetic.

I believe I have seen tear stains in his old Bible. He cried when he prayed, his voice would often crack when God’s anointing would stir him. Although tough and unyielding when working with former drug addicts at Teen Challenge, not giving them an inch or an excuse to slip backwards, he would give them the shirt off his back if needed.

Life was emotional for him. Tears of sorrow and concern but also tears of great joy when performing a wedding. Oh, how I am like him. If I’m officiating, bring Kleenex for the event. (I’ll even cry at weddings of people I don’t know!)

And late into my 70s I appear to be getting worse with my tears… or possibly better.

As I spend more personal time with Jesus, it’s dawning on me that Jesus was an emotional Savior.

 He wanted his joy to be in us (John 15:11). He also felt anger in the face of the hypocrisy of those who claimed relationship but lived only by rules. Jesus expressed great sorrow at the tomb of Lazarus when he saw the raw wounds that physical death caused.

He was genuinely compassionate over the sick and burdened, those the devil drew bead on and savaged. And he felt the heavy sting of betrayal yet responded with forgiveness.

So here’s where I am going with this devotional… I want to offer God a tender heart. not apathetic toward any Word He has for me. Let me feel the burden that many around me carry with no ‘Burden Bearer’ as Friend to help them through life.

Allow me to cry over the things that break God’s heart and throw an emotional party for anything that I know brought joy to his heart. I don’t want to be giddy and pointless when sobriety and careful observation is called for, nor do I wish to be steeled and polished when shouts of joy are appropriate.

And I won’t mind if you occasionally see tears in my eyes.