As of this writing, there are over 156 million public weblogs in existence.
In Februrary 2008, I entered the blogging world for the first time, with the creation of my own little space in this world.
My life has never been the same.
What an amazing opportunity to connect with many other persons all over the globe, and discover that indeed the human experience is universal.
What a lovely way of getting to know new friends, and connect to them, heart to heart!
A few months ago, I discovered A Grateful Heart, a blog by Patti Hanan. Her posts are written from a heart that is sensitive to God, and many of her entries have ministered to my own heart.
With Patti's permission, I am re-posting her recent blog devotional. It is a topic that speaks very much of the same season that I am in. What a reassurance I have received from her own words!
He Collects Our Tears
by Patti Hanan
You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?
~ Psalm 56:8 NKJV
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
~ Psalm 34:18 NIV
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?
~ Psalm 56:8 NKJV
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
~ Psalm 34:18 NIV
Has your heart been broken?
Has your spirit been crushed?
The Lord is near. He knows your pain. Our tears are precious to God. He has placed our tears in a bottle. They are recorded in His book.
From our place of brokenness, if we humble ourselves and submit to God's redeeming work in us, we are transformed to become closer to the image of Christ.
Brokenness surrendered to God yields fruit. Hard soil must be broken up so the seed may be planted.
The hard soil of our hearts must also be broken, so that God's redeeming love can come in.
God gives grace to the humble. (Proverbs 3:34)
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)
Jesus knows your pain. Jesus wept. (John 11:35)
He was called a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. (Isaiah 53:3)
You can cast your cares upon him, for he cares for you. (I Peter 5:7)
The bible is full of hope for the brokenhearted.
God promises that he will give those who grieve a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. (Isaiah 61:3).
Psalm 30:11 says, "You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy."
We are also given the incredible promise of Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
Yes, that's right. All things.
Dear friend, if you are going through a season of grief, God can and will work out whatever circumstances you face for good. Claim his promises to you today.
A Grateful Heart gives thanks for some hard gifts:
221. God collects our tears
222. God records our tears in His book
223. God is close to the brokenhearted
224. God saves the crushed in spirit
225. God gives grace to the humble
226. God knows our pain
227. God redeems the broken
228. hard soil gets broken up so seeds can be planted
229. hard hearts get broken so God's love can be planted
230. God gives grace to the humble
231. Jesus wept
232. Jesus knows our sorrows
233. we can cast our cares upon Jesus because he cares for us
234. God will give us a crown of beauty for ashes
235. God will give us the oil of gladness for mourning
236. God will give us the garment of praise for a spirit of despair
237. God will turn our wailing into dancing
238. God will remove our sackcloth and clothe us with joy
239. in all things God works for the good for those who love him and are called to his purpose
222. God records our tears in His book
223. God is close to the brokenhearted
224. God saves the crushed in spirit
225. God gives grace to the humble
226. God knows our pain
227. God redeems the broken
228. hard soil gets broken up so seeds can be planted
229. hard hearts get broken so God's love can be planted
230. God gives grace to the humble
231. Jesus wept
232. Jesus knows our sorrows
233. we can cast our cares upon Jesus because he cares for us
234. God will give us a crown of beauty for ashes
235. God will give us the oil of gladness for mourning
236. God will give us the garment of praise for a spirit of despair
237. God will turn our wailing into dancing
238. God will remove our sackcloth and clothe us with joy
239. in all things God works for the good for those who love him and are called to his purpose
240. weeping may endure for a night...
...but joy comes in the morning!
About the writer of this post:
Patti Hanan, the writer of this blog entry, and author of A Grateful Heart blog, describes herself with these words: "wife, mother, grandmother, friend, teacher, writer, child of God saved by grace. Blessed far more than I deserve. Thank you, Father, for filling my empty cup to overflowing."
I am grateful to God for allowing me to have Patti as a blog friend.
Her writing has ministered to me time and time again.
10 comments:
Thank you sister for posting this here. I went over and read through some of Patti's postings. I found that she truly blesses me so much as well. I became a follower of hers tonight.
This posting really resonates deeply into my being. Our lives have been heavy with pain and suffering for so very long and for so many reasons... Reading this posting was like a drink of fresh water to my being and you dear sister...your postings do the same for me. I may not comment often, but I do come by to read.
Thank YOU for being such a blessing to the world.
Love & prayers,
Alleluiabelle
Dear Lidj,
I'm looking forwards to the morning.
This night has been one of tears.
Thanks for comforting words.Especially that about "in all things God works for the good for those who love him and are called to his purpose."
A needed word in right time.
from felisol
Lidj, you wrote "heart-to-heart" as the way bloggers connect. How true, how wonderful.
Thank you for following your inspired thought to post a piece of blog from "A GRATEFUL HEART".
Reading Patti's post made my heart full of joy, warmth, and PEACE!
And Lidj, it was kind of you to leave that beautiful comment on my blog.
My dear sister,
Thank you for the beautiful job you did in reposting this, and your kind words. Truly, God does collect our tears and one day it will all make sense. For now, we can trust in our loving heavenly Father to make something of beauty out of heartbreak. Your words have also deeply refreshed me. Isn't it wonderful how God draws his children together? God bless you. One day we will meet in heaven, where there will be no more tears.
Beautiful post! It is not an easy thing to 'collect' a tear. Imagine how much attention God gives to that collection.
I spoke at a ladies retreat recently where the Psalm 56 verse was the theme verse. At the end of the retreat each lady took home a glass vase with clear glass beads in it representing the tears in the bottle. The vase had a tag on it with that very verse. I have it sitting on my bookshelf. It is a beautiful reminder of the verse and the retreat.
dear crown of beauty...i wonder if god is collecting the tears that are in my eyes as i was reading this post..they are not sad tears but grateful tears that you have invited such a person as patti...this is such a good and helpful post...thanks to patti and thanks to you my sister, crown of beauty..
i just came by here to tell you that i am writing you an email and i have become truly blessed by coming..love terry
I've been following Patti for awhile now and she's amazing...I love her posts including this one.....thanks Lidj for reposting this.....and got to say...blogging for me too has opened a whole beautiful world.
I also thank God that through blogging, He gives us the perfect post to read that blesses our faith. Thank you for re-posting such a timely one for me.
I wonder how big of a bottle God will show me that is filled with many kinds of tears. Only to find out that no matter how big the bottle would be, still would be small compared to the glory that is to come.
This is an awesome post! God bless you both.
dear lidj,
i can see why you love patti so. this post
will provide comfort and direction to many
grieving heart, and i am going to hide it
in mine to share whereever the need
arises.
thank you,
lea
Thank you Ludj for sharing this post. There are a lot of hurting and broken hearted people in the world right now and God's Words bring comfort.
Blessing,
Ken
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