A mother was told that her son had been killed in an accident on the job. In that moment, her life was flooded with tears. In another family, a sudden heart attack snatched away a husband, leaving a wife to face life alone. More tears! We live in a weeping world.

The book of Lamentations was written by Jeremiah, who is called the weeping prophet. The citizens of Judah had been taken into captivity (1:3); Jerusalem lay in ruins (2:8-9); the people were destitute (2:11-12); their suffering was horrible beyond belief (2:20); and the prophet wept continually (3:48-49). Yet Jeremiah still affirmed the mercies, the compassions, and the faithfulness of God. From deep within him, his soul was saying, "The Lord is my portion, therefore I hope in Him!" (3:24).

What realism in those tear-saturated words! It's the reality that weeping and lamentations do not necessarily reflect a weak faith or a lack of trust in God. Some of us may think that a Christian must feel joyful even when the heart is breaking—or at least try to appear that way. But Jeremiah's experience refutes that. Tears are a natural part of a Christian's life. But thank God, one day in Glory our blessed Savior will wipe them all away (Revelation 21:4).  — Dennis J. De Haan