Tears.

Tears

Two situations where tears play a role.

’Mabel" said Roland, leaning across the style. "May I have a word?"

"Of course." Replied Mabel batting her long eyelashes at him. "I’ve always time for you."

She slipped her arm snugly into his and they walked slowly onto the moor.

"Mabel." Stammered Roland his brow furrowed with worry now. "This is rather awkward,

Not that I believe it mind." He offered. "But Mother was telling me that you were seen at the Hunt ball last night with Jeremy Styles - when all the time you told me you were at home with a headache."

"Oh Roland." Said Mabel a huge tear forming in her eye " You don’t trust me - and I had a terrible terrible headache."

"Well there were a hundred and fifty witnesses/" said Roland quietly.

"You don’t trust me do you Roland." Sobbed Mabel "Who are you going to trust those one hundred and fifty witnesses or me - You’ll have to choose Roland."

"Well your photo was on the front page of the Guardian this morning with that dreadful Jeremy." Sighed Roland. "Also don’t think I am not grateful with you helping with the estates finances but I was going over the books this morning and there was $10,000 pounds missing. A cheque was put into your bank account for the same amount."

With that Mabel collapsed weeping - Her tear stained face looked pitifully up at Roland her fiancee for mercy.

Somewhere in Africa last week

Boto lifted up his little sister Esmalra from the limp form of her Mother on the ground.

Flies swirled around her prone body.

"Don’t cry Esmalra! " said Boto from now on I am Momma and Poppa too.

"Oh Boto." Said little Esmalra "What is to become of us?"

At that she wrapped her arms around her big brothers neck her thin bony face stained with tears and the two collapsed to the ground weeping tears of fear and lostness under the hot African sun.

Two very different situations - from two very different worlds.

Both involve tears - the first tears of guilt and sorrow at being caught the second tears of grief, sorrow and fear about a very indefinite future.

This morning I would like to talk about the different tears of Romans chapter 7 and what we can learn from them and how they can help us grow as Christians.

Of course there is no mention of tears in Romans chapter 7 what I am referring to is the sadness each of the situations described leads to and the part tears can play in us gaining what God would have us gain from that particular situation.

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

The first step on this journey of tears is the tears that come when one realised that their sinful nature has robbed them of their place with God.In our age there is a growing unawareness of the need for tears about sin.Too often we have committed some offence against God and we have merely taken it for granted. esus - In Luke chapter 7 we find a beautiful demonstration of what tears will bring. For the truly sorrowful sinner:-

LK 7:36 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

LK 7:39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner."

LK 7:40 Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. LK 7:41 "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

LK 7:43 Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said. LK 7:44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."