Tears in a Bottle

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 NLT)

A little over a week ago, a member of our small church family – a beautiful young mother of three – was taken to heaven violently and abruptly, leaving her loved ones to face the utter shock and pain of her untimely departure.

We prayed and cried for our friends who had lost their cherished daughter and sister.

We mourned for her children, who will never experience their mother’s gentle touch on this earth again.

We grieved for our church family, who will miss her vibrant smile and sweet spirit in our congregation.

Yet, in the midst of unspeakable tragedy, there was hope. The family chose the Casting Crowns song Praise You in This Storm to be sung at the funeral. An amazing testimony of their unwavering faith in a sovereign God.

A line in the song says, "Every tear I've cried, You hold in your hand." That line grabbed my heart. Was this really true? I wondered. "Does God really keep track of each tear we cry?"


Then I found this obscure verse in the Psalms:

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 NLT)

The realization hit me… I do not serve a God who is indifferent to the cries of His people. I serve a God who knows and feels my pain deeply and “collects” my tears in His bottle.

When I think of this verse, I picture a never-ending room in heaven with shelves upon shelves of bottles, each labeled with a different believers’ name: Julie, John, Tracey, Erin, Donald, Kevin, Joy…

Many tears in the bottles were shed for lost loved ones… others because of hurtful words… still others fell due to dashed hopes, broken dreams, fractured lives.

No matter the reason, each tear holds special meaning to the Father. He lovingly catches each drop as it rolls down tear-stained cheeks, and then He records it in His book. He does not forget our pain. He remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:14)

Thank you, Father, for loving Your children so deeply. Thank you for the reminder that our tears are important to You and that You – the God of the Universe – are affected by our pain. When no one else understands, You do. Thank You.