Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Hello from the manse! I hope you are all managing to keep safe and well.

This week I was thinking about some verse in Psalm 56. King David is in some distress when he was seized by the Philistines. David expresses his trust in the Lord throughout the psalm but is clearly in deep turmoil. He pours out his heart and says something beautiful in verse 8, ‘You record my lament, you put my tears in a bottle and record them in the book.’

This is surely a precious verse. At times, when all we can do is pour out tears, we cannot form the words even to pray, we can be assured that our Father hears even these silent, watery pleadings. Just as a parent will take a handkerchief and wipe tears away from a child’s face, our heavenly Father catches them all in a bottle. Why? So that they can be remembered. They never go unnoticed but are stored up. Our Father loves us so much and sees even our tears as precious.

There is never a needless tear for a day is coming when every tear will be wiped away in the new heavens and new earth. They are also written in His book of providence so that on that day when all wrongs shall be righted, He will restore to us the years that the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25). We will enter His presence and spend eternity in worship and praise.

Charles Spurgeon says beautifully on this verse, ‘Each tear contains enough water to float a prayer to God’. Our Father is attentive to our cries and even in our deepest moments of pain when all we can do is cry, He still says to us, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. I will put your tears in a bottle, record them in the book, for I have your best at heart, and the day is coming when there shall be no more tears but infinite pleasures at my right hand forevermore.’

Warmly in Christ,

Your brother, friend and minister,

Allan​

Prayer Points:

We are all praying for each other of course but please remember in particular this week:

• Those known to us* who have been unwell; bereaving, or caring for sick family.   (*names available to members/regular attenders).
• Pray for the lonely and isolated, elderly and vulnerable.
• Pray for our community here in Dunblane; those who live, work or visit, that they may come to know the love of God, through Jesus Christ our LORD.
• Pray for our small businesses here in Dunblane that they might come through this too.
• Pray for parents looking after children at home.
• Please pray for our nation with the protests that the light of the gospel may shine. Pray that the Church of Christ will be salt and light.
• Let’s make it a priority to ask our Father that this crisis may pass soon: remember our global neighbours, as well as our own land.
• The Faith Mission are holding a day of prayer on Friday 26th June for the current crisis. It would be good to join in this even for a short time. If you are able to set aside some time on Friday then please remember specifically the current crisis. Pray for the Word to go out powerfully as usual.
• Pray that our Father would build His Kingdom and Church . 
• Pray that many people would be turned to Jesus.
• Pray for gospel opportunities with family and friends.