My Bottle

      Somewhere in heaven there is a beautiful bottle with my name etched upon it by God's own hand. It carries a simple label - "Tears". Psalm 56:8 says that God collects my tears in a bottle. Over the years I have read that verse many, many times and thought it to be a very comforting concept. However, I never gave it a lot of thought until a couple of months ago when I was presented with the tears in a bottle concept in various ways over a period of two or three days. It was at that point I decided to give it a lot more thought and started seeking out information as to what it meant. There are various explanations mentioned at different sites on the web. Tears were collected in bottles by mourners to show their love for those who had passed. There were two methods listed for collection - one was to wipe the face with a cloth and then to wring the cloth out to collect the tears and the other was to simply hold the bottle at the face to collect the tears. I began to think then about collecting tears of someone I loved as they cried as God collects mine. Now this I think would be alright to do if it didn't take too long and if the person crying cooperated by sitting upright and didn't move around too much. But what about those times when the weeping lasts for hours, an entire night, is done with the hands over the face, happens while pacing in anger and frustration, takes place while curled up in a chair, or with the face buried in a pillow. I have no doubt I would not have the fortitude to continue collecting tears. I have shed many tears in each of these positions and the Psalm says God collects my tears. There are no conditions about position or place. He simply collects them. Imagine the God of the Universe in all His power and might gently coming alongside me and collecting each of my tears. Imagine Him coming alongside you and collecting yours.
      Throughout my life I have cried many tears and I am sure you have as well. In the last months I have shed more than all of them combined. And God Himself has collected each one of them. My heart soars when I think of Him bending down and coming so close to me as He does so. Why?, because each of those tears is important to Him. He cares that I grieve and He loves me.
      I like to think that when my husband reached heaven God showed him that bottle and perhaps even let him hold it. And now on this night of the 10 month anniversary of my beloved's passing into glory as I shed a few more tears I know that God Himself is so very close with that bottle. My husband is with God and therefore he is also with me. I am comforted and am able to let the tears flow because He is so close right now.
      God stands ready with your bottle. Ready to come alongside and be so close. We are of great value to Him. Know that and be at peace.