Open Heavens November 25, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Chro 24-26

WEEPING IS NO ANSWER

MEMORIZE: "And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people" (Genesis 14:16)

READ: Genesis 14:10-16

Have you lost your vision, spiritual gifts and graces, material blessings, etc?They can be recovered if you adopt the principles of loss recovery. In 1 Samuel 30:1-20, David returned from a battle to find that the Amalekites had invaded the city in his absence, and taken all the women and children as slaves, including his wives and children. Like his men, the initial response was to weep, but when he realized weeping was not solving the problem, he dried up his tears. If he had continued to weep, his men would have transferred their aggression and anger on him. They might have stoned him to death like they planned. His loss would have been irrecoverable! How long would you weep over the loss of a loved one? How long would you weep over your unpleasant state? Stop weeping. Dry up your tears. At best, weeping may draw the sympathy of those around but will never lead to recovery. Weeping will sap the energy that could have been used in a more productive way. Weeping will blur your vision to see clearly and think properly.

While David wept, no solution came. But after he dried up his tears, ideas on what to do began to come. Some believers remain in a state of weeping, distress, discouragement several days, weeks, months or even years after a loss. As long as you remain in that state, your loss will be unending - you will continue to lose; no answer will come even when it is so close to you. Inability to recover from the effects of a major loss is a state of unbelief, fear, doubt and hopelessness that prevents God from bringing about a change, but exalts the problem at stake. If you stop crying and refocus on the Lord, solutions will come. In a similar event, three powerful kings raided Sodom and Gomorrah and made a clean sweep of the people there, including Lot and all that they had (Genesis 14:116). A servant escaped to inform Abraham of what had happened. Abraham knew this was no time to weep but a time for action.

Since his mind was clear, he immediately received direction from the Lord and pursued them. He recovered all. After David wiped his tears, he sought God’s face for direction. He followed God’s lead, pursued the enemies and recovered everything. You are about to recover all you lost if only you can dry your tears, seek guidance from God and act on it. As you seek Jesus this season, He will turn your loss into gain.

ACTIONPOINT: If you must weep, take your tears to the Throne of Grace. If you desire sympathy, get it from Heaven. Heaven's sympathy is accompanied by positive changes.