BE Washed in Waves of Tears!

“Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.” Psalm 42:7

IMG_5121 Steavenson Falls, Marysville, Victoria, Australia

Psalm 42 was written in waves of tears. In fact, the psalmist tells us in verse three that tears had been his ‘food’ both day and night. Themes of water flow through this ancient psalm of lament and it is one I strongly identify with.

A few weeks ago, I hiked on my own to one of my home state’s highest waterfalls – something new and adventurous for me. The journey was breathtaking and quite literally took my breath away as at times as I had to stop and gasp for fresh air to fill my burning lungs. I also gulped in the gorgeous sights, sounds and smells and my senses were filled as I persevered along the trail in a swirl of dewy rain.

When I finally reached my destination and stood on the bridge with a torrent of water crashing underneath my feet, I began to weep. Some of my tears fell into the whirlpool and disappeared into the magnificent cascade crashing over the rocks below. My tears seemed insignificant in the moment, lost and unnoticed.

I had just read a sign on the track that spoke about how there is never a new drop of water created in the earth and its atmosphere. Amazing when you think about it! The water we drink and expel has been filtered through countless people and animals – even earthworms according to the sign!  Each drop has been part of cyclonic storms, raging seas, still lakes, undulating rivers and yes, waterfalls.

As I stood in this place totally awash with water, I began to think about my tears in a new light. Perhaps the very same tears I had just cried were also cried by the psalmist all those years ago? The more I pondered, the more I realized that my tears do actually matter. They are significant. Have a look at this little nugget of truth proclaimed by king David…

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” Psalm 56:8

As I allowed images of the waterfall to crash over my spirit, deep called to deep. My tiny but significant tears were now added to the never-ending circle of the ‘stream of life’ thundering below me. They had become part of the billions of teardrops now travelling at break-neck pace to wash and water the needy earth.

Friends, if indeed every molecule of water has been created by God and then recycled again and again to bring new life, our tears can do that too. I have to believe that every drop totally counts! Our humble droplets of sorrow offered to God can become LIFE to the decimated and thirsty. They can become part of watering those tiny seeds of faith, hope and love sown in dry times. God can use our tears to refresh the hearts of others who are weeping out their own tears of sorrow and grief.

What I haven’t mentioned is that this waterfall is the life spring of a township that lost everything to the Black Saturday fires in 2009. This once blackened, dead land is now lush green and full of life again. It has been watered in waves of tears and beauty has arisen from the ashes.

I have a desperate need to BE Watered in Waves of Tears right now. The Living Water of Jesus Christ is constantly on tap and available to me and to us all. As deep calls to deep, I open my soul to the Maker of the waterfall and allow Him to completely wash over me. His tears, and the precious water that flowed from His side on my behalf blends with my soul… soothing, healing, cleansing, satisfying… I drink it in and I live again.

“As the deer pants for the water so my soul longs after You! Take all my tears Lord and turn them into streams of living water that fall over the earth for Your glory!”

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