Tears

The Lubricant of Vision But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.   (1 John 1: 7)

Some of my friends have been afflicted with a medical condition known as dry-eye syndrome.   In some cases this has required surgery to open the tear ducts so that the secretion from the lacrimary glands might flow to the eye.   Tears have at least two vital physical functions related to good vision.   The first is lubrication, and the second is purification.

If the eye is to function normally, it must be lubricated by the secretion from the lacrimary glands through the tear ducts.   Any failure of this system results in major discomfort and possible disease.

The second function of tears is purification and cleansing.   Foreign particles such as dust are flushed away as the tears flow.   Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, founder of Dallas Theological Seminary, once visited a coal-mining town in Wales to conduct special meetings in a church.   The pastor asked Dr. Chafer if he would like to visit the mine and watch the men be lowered into the pit.   He readily agreed.   Standing there in the dim light of morning, they observed that the men wore clean clothes and carried lunch pails.  In groups they entered a cage which lowered them into the darkness of the mine.   Late in the afternoon the pastor and Dr. Chafer had occasion to return to the place just as the miners were being hoisted to the surface.   A remarkable change had taken place.   Faces, hands and clothing were covered with coal dust.   However, there was one part of them which was unaffected by the dirt – the eyes.   Their whites seemed whiter than before in contrast to their dust-coated faces.   What had kept these eyes clean?   Tears.

One of the main functions of the shed blood of Christ, according to 1 John 1: 7, is to keep cleansing us from sin.   The emphasis is on a continuous action like that of the flow of tears.

Earlier in the verse the theme of fellowship was introduced.   It appears to be closely related to cleansing.   There must be application of the blood of Christ in order for fellowship to exist between ourselves and the Lord and between Christians.   This is the means of cleansing and lubricates to prevent friction. Rev. William A. Raws was the grandson of the founder of America’s Keswick and was a part of the ministry for over 50 years

Keswick, America’s  (2012-12-13). Real Victory for Real Life Volume 2 (Kindle Locations 8404-8432).  . Kindle Edition.

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 146-147; John 1:1-28

Quote of the day: Covetousness, or the desire to have more than one has (not necessarily through envy of somebody else) not only leads to strife but also expresses a fundamentally wrong philosophy of life, according to which possessions are all that really matter. I.H. Marshall

Verse to Memorize: Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness. The entirety of Your word is truth, and everyone of Your judgments endures forever. Psalm 119:159-160