Food of Tears

Food of Tears

“You fed them the bread of tears and gave them a full measure of tears to drink.” (Psalm 80:5, HCSB)

November 28, 2014 Year B

Tears are the food of a prayer tortured soul. I have heard one time that tears are a blessing from God. But one wouldn’t think that from this verse. The psalmist describes a prayer scene full of anguish and pain. He is asking God to restore them. The reason is because the psalmist feels an injustice. He looks at his circumstances and wonders if God is giving them all of this pain.

He feels that God is angry with the psalmist’s petitions. He thinks that the angry scenes with the neighbors come from God’s hand. He senses the snicker of laughter from the enemies.

In the midst of this confusing state, his body can’t help from be overcome with tears. He is overcome with grief.

I understand that feeling. You feel like you can’t do anything else but cry. You feel just overwhelmed. You can’t sense God’s direction and you wonder if God has given up on you.

So like the psalmist you have God to restore you. As David said in Psalm 23, “restore to me the joy of my salvation.” One can ask God to restore me to my proper relationship to Him, because my feelings have gotten in the way.

When your spiritual and emotional nourishment consists of tears, you will start to get hungry for God’s presence.

Prayer: God, please turn my food of tears into a hunger for your presence. Restore to me Yourself and let me drink from Your fountain.