Cause to Weep

Until we all embrace God’s laws and live by them, there will be cause to weep!

The Bible speaks of tears being shed on many occasions. David had cause to weep when he learned of the death of Absalom (2 Samuel 18:33). The captives sat by the rivers of Babylon and wept as they remembered Zion (Psalm 137:1). Jesus was moved to weep as He made his way to the tomb of his dear friend Lazarus (John 11:35). He wept again as He looked upon Jerusalem and foresaw her impending destruction (Luke 19:41).

As I read each of the accounts mentioned in the previous paragraph, as well as others like them, I am reminded of something from the Psalmist’s pen. He wrote: “Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law” (Psalm 119:136). As I get older I understand more and more what the Psalmist meant, what caused him to weep.

Tears should come to our eyes and we should weep as we gaze upon the moral decline which has swept through our land. Long held standards of decency and morality have crumbled before us. A few decades ago the prospect of abortion on demand, the acceptance of homosexuality, the staggering rates of illegitimacy, and the brutal violence of today were unthinkable.

There is cause to weep when we see man’s inhumanity to man and the staggering toll in human lives. In Africa and the Middle East, thousands have died and continue to die, innocent victims of man’s brutality. Right here in our own country violence claims lives daily. Some see what is happening and blame God, but the fault is not His, it is ours!

The restraints of space will not permit a detailed listing of all the problems which fill our land and bring tears to our eyes. Now I simply must ask, “What is the real cause for our tears?” The Psalmist gives us the answer. It is because men do not keep God’s law (Psalm 119:136)! What a different world it would be if only men would acknowledge God and honor His commands.

We may not be able to change the world, but we can change ourselves. We must adopt God’s laws as our own, and live by them every day. Then, and only then, can we begin to make a difference in our community and the world. Until we all embrace God’s laws and live by them, there will be cause to weep!