weep -

Weep -

Saturday I went to a memorial service. 

It felt wrong- burying their daughter, their sister, their mother, who left this earth at 47. 

And the church all decorated with Christmas trees and lights and green swags and red bows. Christmastime is not a good time to say goodbye.

And I sat there, fighting the tears and the tightness in my throat squeezing, and noticed weeping  coming from this row and that one, from the front of the church and the back and I realized the gift it is to weep with.

As someone shared a memory and little sobs escaped her attempt to hold them inside, my heart went running to her.  I don’t know who she is, I couldn’t even see her face, but the sound of crying drew me towards her.  Her cries released my own and hot tears rolled unchecked. 

Love moves towards the weeping of another, drawing close.  

Sharing sorrow binds us.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and his ears are attentive to their cry; …  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  Psalms 34:15 & 18  

Everyday as we clock in to work and check out to purchase and hold in to pretend and zone out to escape - forgetting that some days we just need to let out some tears. 

But it’s Christmas so we “should be” happy and we think that no-one wants to see us weep.  But sadness and grief can be present any of the 365 days including Christmas.  And that thing we do, with all our might holding back the weeping, not wanting it to be noticed, afraid what others might think, needing to appear “okay”… it keeps us alone in the thing that is sad.  

Holding IN tears holds AWAY comfort.  

And if the God of the universe moves towards us close when our hearts are breaking, why not let Him?  Do I see that my tears are an invitation, welcoming Him to come near?

Today, maybe you need to cry. To invoke Immanuel (God WITH us), to come even nearer.

To not be afraid that if you let one slip, a wild & unruly torrent will follow.  SO what!  It cannot last forever and tears cleanse.  

And because Christmas is a time for JOY, maybe today you need to be the one that gives permission to the tears of another.  Even if it hasn’t dropped yet, you could have dry eyes that see the wet eyes and your very noticing may be what that soul needs … and I bet you’ll find yourself moving in that direction.  You can be the one drawn towards the cry of another.  Maybe weep together, because JOY comes in the morning.

“There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens…

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,”

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4