I was singing a worship song in service a few months back, O Come to the Alter, and I felt so blessed by God’s presence, so acutely aware of the truth of the words I was singing that when the song ended my lips were quivering, I had so much energy I couldn’t stop moving, and I was crying.
After service, a church mate came up said she thought I might need a hug. Now, I am never one to turn down a sincere hug, especially post worship service, but it gave me a moment’s pause because I wondered if she thought I was crying because I was sad or overwhelmed by a particular situation. In that moment, of course, I couldn’t really process what I felt , but the feeling lingered all day.
What I couldn’t find a way to say at that moment was, I was overwhelmed, but only by God’s very real presence in that moment. I had gone into to service that day with a mind full of prayer requests and concerns. My brain was full of to do lists and responsibilities, but for those 3-4 minutes while I was singing about God’s greatness He was the only thing filling my mind. Nothing was more important, more worthy of my attention. The truth of those words I sang forced everything else out.
Oh what a Savior
Isn’t He wonderful
Sing allelujah
Christ is risen
Bow down before Him
For He is Lord of all
Sing Allelujah
Christ is risen
What a magnificent truth! Of course, there was no room for worry with thoughts like these. And the tears? They were just proof of what was being forced out. They were not sad tears, but tears of relief, tears of awe, tears of excitement. And the wonderful thing about tears is that they can do all of that. Did you know that tears of joy or release are chemically different than tears of sadness or anger? They are made of different stuff, and yet somehow we place them all in one big pile of discomfort. Tears get a bad rap but praise God as a collector of our tears (see Psalm 56:8) He knows the specific expression and chemical makeup of every tear we cry. He knows how precious they are and how much of who we truly are and what we truly want is wrapped up in each one. He knows. So we don’t have to fear them. Man, woman, child, happy or sad, seasoned saint or spiritual novice your tears matter to God, so don’t be afraid to cry them.
Jesus Girl 