Optimism: For Those Tears I Died

After my first year of college (71 to 72), a high school acquaintance approached me with a travel offer. He was looking for someone who wanted to spend the summer traveling up the West Coast. After some conversation, I bought a four-man tent, he got permission to use a family car, and our trip began.

We started in Anaheim, California (think Disneyland), and made it as far north as Nanaimo, British Columbia. We spent a full month making the trip.




About three days into the trip, we were camping in Carpinteria (think Santa Barbara). The state park was full, so we were in a fairly nice private campground. In the late afternoon, I joined in a volleyball game with some other college-aged kids that were in the campground. They invited me to a campfire time that they were planning for after dinner.



I went over, and I learned that they were from the Goleta Baptist Church youth group. During the campfire someone performed a song called “For Those Tears I Died.” I was touched.

The song presented Jesus Christ as if he were 1) alive, 2) cared about the songwriter’s tears, 3) was capable of personally interacting with an individual.

This was all news to me. I marveled at the song’s concepts and at the inclusionary behavior of this youth group. On the volleyball court and in their campfire time they practiced what they preached. But they didn’t even preach, they just sang.

Songs stick. I’ve often looked back on that weekend as a turning point, or at least a vista point in life. A personal God, who cared about people, who cared about me, my problems, even my tears. Wow. How inspiring!



Here is the song. (Written by Marsha Stevens and released on Children of the Day’s 1971 album Come to the Waters.)

Here are the lyrics:

For Those Tears I Died

You said You'd come and share all my sorrows,
You said You'd be there for all my tomorrows;
I came so close to sending You away,
But just like You promised You came there to stay;
I just had to pray!

And Jesus said, "Come to the water, stand by My side,
I know you are thirsty, you won't be denied;
I felt ev'ry teardrop when in darkness you cried,
And I strove to remind you that for those tears I died."

Your goodness so great I can't understand,
And, dear Lord, I know that all this was planned;
I know You're here now, and always will be,
Your love loosed my chains and in You I'm free;
But Jesus, why me?

And Jesus said, "Come to the water, stand by My side,
I know you are thirsty, you won't be denied;
I felt ev'ry teardrop when in darkness you cried,
And I strove to remind you that for those tears I died."

Jesus, I give You my heart and my soul,
I know that without God I'd never be whole;
Savior, You opened all the right doors,
And I thank You and praise You from earth's humble shores;
Take me, I'm Yours.

And Jesus said, "Come to the water, stand by My side,
I know you are thirsty, you won't be denied;
I felt ev'ry teardrop when in darkness you cried,
And I strove to remind you that for those tears I died."