When Tears Become Turning Points

Date: Monday, December 29, 2025

Readings: Psalm 20 | Jeremiah 31:15–22 | Luke 19:41–44

Today’s Scriptures move from lament to promise. Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, grieving the peace they refused. The psalmist cries out for deliverance and confidence, and Jeremiah speaks a word of return to a people who will find grace in the wilderness and eventually be gathered home.

These readings invite us into a sober and honest space. We often overlook how grief and hope can coexist within the same breath. Jesus’ tears show us a Savior who does not look away from brokenness but enters into it with compassion. The psalmist’s petitions teach us to speak directly to God from our places of need. And Jeremiah reminds us that God’s heart bends toward restoration even when we cannot see the path forward.

If we allow these words to settle into us, they become a mirror reflecting both our ache and our anticipation. We confront where we’ve resisted God’s peace, yet we cling to the promise that God draws near with mercy. Our turning points often begin in tears. And the God who sees our sorrow leads us toward a future rooted in grace and homecoming.

Devotional Prompts:

• What grief have we been avoiding that God may want to transform?
• Where have we resisted the peace Christ offers?
• How does God’s promise of restoration shift our perspective today?
• What might it look like for us to trust God in a wilderness season?

Prayer:
Merciful God, meet us in our tears. Bring healing to our wounded places and guide us toward Your restoring grace. Turn our lament into hope and our wandering into homecoming. Amen.