READ: ISAIAH 25:8; HEBREWS 5:7; REVELATION 21:1-5

You say you keep all my tears in a bottle,

keep track of them in your book.

Do you write some of them small,

for the tears I cry in private?

Are others BOLD AND BIG

for the tears that escape with intensity,

with audible, soul-shaking sobs?

Do you change the font,

from broken-hearted

to empty,

from fearful

to raging?

Do you include each tear’s backstory

or do the tears stand alone,

telling their stories as only tears can?

Or do you simply know,

without a single word or commentary,

and keep track of each one

with a tally, a hashmark,

simply

because they’re a part of me—

me, whom you love,

eternally? • Abigail Aswegen

• Is it easy for you to cry, or is it difficult? Why do you think that is? We all have times when the tears won’t come, and sometimes we feel like we need to hide our tears. Yet, tears are a gift from God to help us process the hard things we experience in a world that has been broken by sin. Jesus cried while He was on earth—both for Himself and for us. And because Jesus died and rose again to take away our sin and heal our brokenness, He promises that when He returns, we’ll have no more need for tears.

• God not only hears our cries, but records our every tear in a book, never forgetting what has hurt us. How does this offer a glimpse into His love for us? How could knowing that God sees and treasures up all our tears help us feel more free to cry when we need to?

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)