Psalms 56:8 reminds us that God puts our tears into a bottle.
What a wonderful verse to show us that when terrible things happen, such as the recent explosions in Boston, God deeply understands our laments, hurts, and sorrows, because He is saddened too. Some interpret this verse as each of us having our own bottle (or wineskin). If so, how wonderful that our tears of sorrow are stored in the same vessel as our tears of joy and happiness. Mixed together, they are an expression of our brief experience in the flesh. The second part of this verse says that they are also written in His book. Image the detail and love that is captured in a giant ledger as each tear is recorded. The same God who knows the number of the hairs on our head, cares so much for us that He counts and records each tear drop, like a proud parent saves photos and special memories in a scrap book.
Looking closer at the first part of the verse again, another interpretation is that there is only one vessel. That would not only mean that all of our tears are mixed together (just as we are mixed together here on earth), but this same container holds the very tears of God himself as well. Our grief mixed with our creators. Our joy combined with His. How loving, how understanding, how perfect.
Father, we pray that these situations draw us closer to each other and to you. We pray for healing for those hurt, for their families, and especially for those who lost a loved one. In Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.
