The painting by Lynn Yoder shown here, entitled His Tears, is much more than just a picture. Lynn painted it during a time of great pain and emotional problems. During this time he became more convinced than ever that God hurts with him in his pain. Jesus is sympathetic towards us in our pain because He Himself experienced pain when He was despised, whipped and crucified for our sins.
The following verse indicates that no tear that we shed goes unnoticed by God: You have kept a record of my tears. Aren’t they listed in your book? (Ps. 56:8). God has compassion for his children. He pities them, shares their sorrows, and weeps with them. As a father has compassion for his children, so the LORD has compassion for those who fear him. For he knows how we were formed, aware that we were made from dust (Ps. 103:13). When Jesus visited his friends after their brother, Lazarus, had died, we read: Jesus wept (John11:35).
The red eyes (very faint, near the point of the arrow) staring out of the background of this painting represent the source of lies. When these lies are believed many negative emotions follow. Lynn writes: “Satan and his evil demons want me to believe that I can’t make it through the pain; that God doesn’t care about me anymore; and that He has forsaken me. They tell me that I can no longer enjoy life unless my circumstances change. By believing these lies, I have helped to bring myself to the ground. If I continue to believe these lies, I may be overpowered by the resulting negative emotions. I may prolong my pain and give way to depression and self-pity.” He (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
Lynn continues: “Instead, I must claim the truth that I know about God’s love and continually remind myself of His truth when my negative emotions sound the alarm. Yes, I continue to make mistakes in believing lies. I suffer for it. However, I can accept God’s continual forgiveness. I can get up and go forward in victory and happiness that God has created for me. Though the circumstances may not change completely, I take comfort in knowing that He hurts with me. I pray that, wherever images of this painting are hung, they would help open the hearts and minds of believers and non-believers to the love of God and to the seriousness of the spiritual war that we face every day.”
Lynn experienced that although God may perhaps not change his painful situation, God has definitely not forsaken him. A parent hurts when his or her child gets hurt. God tells us to call Him: “our Father”. As our Father, He feels the pain when his children get hurt.
God, thank You for your mercy; that You love us so much that You hurt when we are suffering. Amen.
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