TEARS THAT TOUCH THE WORLD
“But if you will not listen to it, My soul will sob in secret for such pride; And my eyes will bitterly weep and flow down with tears, because the flock of the Lord has been taken captive…Jeremiah 13:17.”
What is it that makes a true prophet of God? A true prophet walks with God, witnesses for God and warns the people. Yes, he does all of these things and more. But the main and defining characteristic of every prophet of God is tears because he/she weeps the very tears of God.
Maybe some of you have Jeremiah’s in your church. He/she is always warning people. Everything is going well but still he/she urges you to return to faith. He stands up in church meetings and says you need to pray instead of spending thousands on some church activity. You want to lock this person up. This is what happened to Jeremiah. Everyone was saying to Him, please shut up.
If your tears are from the heart of God, they will affect the view you have of your nation. The true prophet of God will say things that are totally against the prevailing view of the world and indeed many in the church.
How many of the so-called prophets in the church today are preaching with tears? Lots of preachers are loud. They shout. But it is not how loud the voice of the prophet is; it is the number of tears he/she sheds.
Let me finish with this. First, a word to the people in fivefold ministry – the shepherds of the church. When was the last time that you wept? When was the last time you preached through your tears in agony? Are you acting like a Jeremiah in your pulpit – preaching with tears? When was the last time you agonized before God for your church?
A word to the rest of us – tears are important for us as Christian’s in deep repentance to God, in compassion for the world and especially the hurting and deprived; for a passionate love of the brethren. Surely the place where tears need to be shed are first and foremost the prayer closet, where they are surely filter into the pulpit and then into every member of the congregation.
When we have shed tears ourselves, we can identify with others who will come to us crying. So often someone comes to us and we say ‘why is this person crying’? Maybe this is because we have never known what it is to weep ourselves.
Many of the strongest men of the Bible wept; men such as Paul, Jeremiah, Nehemiah and Jesus Himself. So why can’t many of you men become like a little child? Strong men do cry; they do agonize for their families and their communities/churches.
It is time for tears in the church; tears of repentance towards God; tears of speaking the honest truth like Jeremiah did. It is time to understand that people are shedding tears all around you. Only when you shed tears yourself can you touch their lives with the love of God; because as you have been comforted, you can bring the comfort of God to others. (Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
Please take time to read the whole of the book of Jeremiah. Yes, all of it. Maybe you will learn how to cry biblically. A final thing believer… remember one day there will be no more tears…amen!!!
GOD BLESS YOU
KK