"...wonderfully made": My Tears

The last few weeks I have been having some trouble with my left eye. You know the feeling, like there is grit of some kind in it so that when I close the lid, I get the sensation of sandpaper. The optometrist that I saw gave his diagnosis, describing that which results from the eye drying out during the night because the position of my face on the pillow causes the eyelid to remain slightly open, allowing the drying effect, and resulting in the barest of damage to the surface cells. Fortunately, these I was told, replicate rapidly and repeated damage is avoided by the introduction of drops that assist the tears in keeping the eye moistens. His diagnosis and treatment has been affirmed, and I'm taking care to keep the "tears", both natural and man-made, at work. It doesn't sound "macho" but, hey, it's working. As I considered this re-acquaintance with the subject of "tears", I recalled a study I did and thought you might find it encouraging.

My tears,
My tears by creation flow,
An artesian spring welling-up from life's encounter,
A signal of release, of sorrow's increase,
A balm to return rejoicing's inner peace.
My tears.

My tears the Scriptures show,
A true heart's humble offering to access heaven's mercy,

A taste of anger's bread, of deep repentance shed, *

An aqueous burial producing a joy-laden spread. **

My tears.

My tears from body source grow,

A salty solution pressed out to cleanse the sighted eye,

A chemical protector, a dread disease deflector,

A liquid dilution, foreign substance ejector.

My tears.

My tears the emotions know,

A fluid partner that joins me in laughter and anguish,

A comrade of bitter grief, of anger's forbidden reef,

The waves of mirth that wash and bring relief.

My tears.

* Psalm 80:5; 6:1-10 ** Psalm 126:5

As I meditated on the passage from Psalm 139:14, "I will praise Thee: For I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Marvelous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well", emotion of awe began flooding my mind, with resulting tears of realization that God had purposely made me with all the complexities and interactive designs that this body possesses; physical, mental, and emotional. And those very tears were the very example of al the parts in partnership.

As I began to explore their makeup, God's creative handiwork became even more amazing. Consider it, the Lord thought of all of the needed intricacies to give the eyes for sight, but He also put in place a mechanism that could protect their delicate nature from outside forces that would attempt to cloud and destroy their vision and its benefits to the body. Connected by nerves in and around the eye that serve as warnings of impending danger, the lacrimal glands flood the eye with a salt and protein solution that fights bacteria, immunizes against infection and washes away the worldly taint. Of equal and yet higher significance is their connection to the brain centers which control emotions in their varied array. The tears become an automatic catharsis to both release and temper the results of joy and laughter, grief and anger, fear and shame. In so doing, this physical wash of emotion works the body's best advantage in each, bringing its own healing balm.

Truly, Oh Lord, I praise Thee for this You have so wonderfully made, and given to me as a welcome companion in this life, until one day You alone will wipe them clean in Your kingdom.

(Revelation 7:17)

By the way, "big boys" should cry if they want to insure the health of their eyes! Have a good day. Be encouraged!