Friday, September 14, 2012

The Tears Of A Clown

Even in laughter the heart may be in pain, and the end of joy may be grief. (Proverbs 14:13)

Now there's some sad things known to man…But ain't too much sadder than…The tears of a clown…When there's no one around…These words from a song of days gone by helps me to better understand the words of this ancient verse. In laughter…the heart may be in pain. But I really don’t need Smokey Robinson and The Miracles to confirm to me the truth of this proverb.  The miracle is that I can know God has said it and I can believe it.  My experience has proved it.  I have lived it.  And I’m probably not alone. Why is it that we can be laughing on the outside but crying on the inside? And why is it that we think we have to always show the gladness…and hide the sadness? I believe the human condition is outlined for us here. Sorrow and joy can coexist within us. And often we cannot explain this paradox and how the reality is demonstrated. In some of our saddest times, joy can burst forth. And in some joyful moment, we can have a meltdown in a flood of tears and sadness. How can that be? I believe that joy is a snapshot of the true reality. That the Lord God has come to restore the joy of His creation to a sorrowful and fallen world. So we are born of our flesh into this place where sorrow has made its home. But when we are born of the Spirit of God, we are given glimpses of the Creator’s purpose…joy.  Inexpressible…and uninterrupted joy. I believe that is God’s plan. To save us from the sorrow of infinite destruction into the joy of God’s infinite Presence. God is telling us when we are joyful in the midst of our sorrow…that one day, joy will rule completely…no more sorrow for tomorrow. But what about the times when no one sees the sadness? What are we to do? Surely, if we wept constantly, no one would want to be around us. So we put on a happy face, as another old song would say. When we sing the sad songs best, it is when no one knows that we’re singing them...except One. The Lord hears our songs of sorrow… and sees us in our seasons of grief. He is a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief. This is the goodness of God. He not only has encouraged us to believe in this future state of uninterrupted joy, He Himself has lived this sorrowful existence with us. He, too, was born into this sinful world. He knows all about sorrow…and all about joy. He leads us into the fullness of His presence, where we can experience His strength and the joy of the Lord. Grief and sorrow are natural expressions of something that has been lost…something that is precious. Joy is experienced when the lost thing is found, and fullness is restored. We are made whole.  This is the joy of the Lord…when one sinner repents…and lives with God. Lord, You not only show me where I’m going…You are where I’m going! O Lord, be merciful to me…that sinner! Joy is my destiny… You are my destination.  Our tears are precious to the Lord and His tears are precious to us.  One day...no more crying there...we are going to see the King.  The tears of a clown are sometime hidden to us.  So are the tears of a King...who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame...
Knowing this kind of joy might just make me cry all the way home!

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