Being a collector of words, I find myself writing them down frequently.  Sometimes they are my own, and others belong to someone else.  If I don’t write them down, I  tend to forget them… so I create space to save them, to collect them together.  When they mark a space in my soul, the kind that provides a space of rest whenever I cross them, I always take time to pause and ponder their depth.

When I ran across a quote I read in a book a while back, one I scribbled in my journal, I paused again to take it in.  It’s the stopping kind quote. Ironically, it sits solitary on my journal page, with a short summary of what I must have considered as I read it.

The lessons of tears lead us to collect #gracemoments.

Whenever you find tears in your eyes, especially unexpected tears, it is well to pay the closest attention. They are not only telling you something about the secret of who you are, but more often than not God is speaking to you through them of the mystery of where you have come from and is summoning you to where you should go next. – Frederick Beuchner

There is so much in the collected words above. The idea that He summons us on to the next thing as we consider from where we have come enthralls me.   The challenge to find the hidden wonder of the secret of our soul as we contemplate our responses to the salty stream that pours out when our hearts are the viewfinder of our soul is often intriguing. I wonder at the providence of His Sovereign Grace and am lost in the magnitude of how he welcomes us into it.  But it is the significance of tears that draws me in close today.

Do you pay attention to your tears?   The Bible talks about our tears in depth reminding us that even these splashed emotions that we spill are important to the Holy One. They are a sacred record kept by the Father, an offering that cleanses our soul for the washing that brings us clean before the King, and a treasure that is seen, valued and known…even collected by God.

I have heard your prayers and seen your tears. ( Is. 38:5, 2 Kings 20:5)

Transparency is perhaps one of my strongest longings as I spill out in this space, right there next to speaking grace as a breath into the folds every heart that pauses with me.  The very subject of tears seems to  fit perfectly, so let’s be real together here as we collect #gracemoments.

 Tears are a deeply transparent response to something that moves us, breaks us, or blesses us.

Some people call them a gift.  Even though many of us find ourselves holding in the emotion so that we can be in control.

But what if we see them as an offering, a givenness, on the altar of His love.  It makes me think of the way Mary cleansed the Savior’s feet before she anointed Him with oil. Her tears, straight from her heart, breaking at the wonder of His message and His promise.  It provided a way for her to prepare Him to bleed grace.   What if our tears are a pathway right into our hearts, a cleansing that allows the Father to step right into our broken places? Would they be considered a blessing instead of a burden?

Tears are a gift of grace from God, and their fruit is always joy. – Mother Theresa

Tears come easy when I  pray.  There in that space where my heart, tender and pliable before the throne of grace, becomes a nurturing space for our soul. Even though I find myself holding in the emotion when the world sets in,… in the set apart space… the one we make for Him in the quiet and waiting place, our tears are the cleansing that makes way for His anointing.

Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not your peace at my tears, for I am your passing guest as my fathers were.  – Psalm 39:12

Lately, I have found myself bending low, like Mary did, weeping at the feet of the Savior…waiting with Him. The heavy things, the weighty things dissolving at the presence of the Almighty because  prayer is the exchange of my token and His peace.  We come right into the throne of grace and we lift up hands that hold our priorities and our precious gifts before the One who fills our cups to overflowing.

Yet, as we yield our self, our hopes, our goals, our needs at the bench of prayer,  His goodness, loving-kindness, mercy and compassion allow a release, the offering of tears, that lead us to collect #gracemoments. 

Tears become medicine that melts the burden pushing deep into our the tender soft spots. They make it possible for us to let God meet us right where we are, right where He has waited for us to see Him.  It was no accident that I found that quote again this morning, the one that reminds us to examine our tears a little closer and to summon the direction that can only come from spending ourselves in quiet contemplative prayer with the One who collects our tears in His bottle.

Sometimes we just need to remember that even our breaking is precious in the journey.

Today my prayer is that as you wait with the One who paid the ransom for your soul, that you will believe the burdens you are spilling forward are being collected and held as the treasure they are.  May the #gracemoments become  the #peacemoments as His mercy and love fill you in your moments of prayer and waiting with the Savior.

Heavenly Father,

 As we bow near, let our hearts know the power of your immense love.  Break the the burden and release the cleansing water of hope to rain down upon our souls. Draw us close into the deep embrace that is your love for us, your grace and favor hedging us securely  in the fullness of your presence.  Lead us to speak beyond the weeping  into the quiet of  your promise, let our eyes salt your feet in wonder of what you will do in our lives,  and remind us that Hope is the means to our end in You. Hear our prayer, give ear to our cry, hold not your peace from us as we pass into the grace you offer in return for the collected  tears we offer to back to You.

In Christ Alone,

 Amen

 

IT’S YOUR TURN TO BE A GRACE COUNTER!  SHARE YOUR GRACE MOMENT IN THE COMMENTS BELOW AND THEN COUNT GRACE WITH A FRIEND WITH COMMENT ON A BLOG OR TWO.

If you are a blogger, link up here with  a post about finding grace moments in your life or one of your favorite inspiring and encouraging posts from this week. Share your thoughts in the comment section telling me about the #Grace Moments you experienced this week. *(only 1 post per link please)*

Take time to visit your neighbor next to you, and if you want visit a few more friends on the journey. We all need a little encouragement and affirmation as we travel together.

If you don’t have a blog, you can connect with me via my Journeys in Grace FB page by sharing a photo or a comment.  Or you can join the party by sharing your images on Instagram with #Gracemoments hashtag.

Each week I will  try visit as many of your amazing  posts as I can.This is a safe place to sit and dwell in grace together, friends. I can’t wait to pour a cup of friendship with you and take in the grace moments you have to share. Don’t forget to leave a comment below, I love to hear from you.

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