Tagged: lament

For M, and all who worship God with logic. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. Psalm 130:5-6 I have lived among watchmen in many lands. Watchmen who keep guard at night, gates tightly locked, while families sleep safely inside homes surrounded by walls crowned with barbed wire.  Watchmen who wait for the darkness to give way to light, the magic hour when fish begin to leap from the sea.  Watchmen who sip hot milky chai before daybreak so they can take the sheep across the savannah as soon as the sun peeks over the horizon.  Watchmen who pace the… Read More

My soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is. Lamentations 3:17 To be bereft is to be deprived of or lacking something. In particular, it describes the sadness and loneliness accompanying the death or departure of someone dear. We who follow Jesus have the peace that surpasses all understanding available to us through Christ, indeed (see Philippians 4:6-7). But loss can blot out the truth; grief can loom between us and that marvelous, available power, for a time. Like a sudden blackout dashing us into complete darkness, unexpected tragedy and loss can temporarily blind us from the light.  The blindness may be artificial, it may be temporary, but it is real. May we have grace for ourselves and others in the family… Read More

O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.  Psalm 10:17-18 Lament: a passionate expression of grief or sorrow; a song, piece of music, or poem expressing sorrow. Lament is an expression found in many cultures across the world. What makes biblical lament different from all others, however, is that its goal is not merely complaint and grief, but a reinstatement of faith in God. A complaint, a sorrow, a rending, that ends in trust. The One who created our emotions, minds, and souls knows that for us to truly trust, we must empty… Read More

I see you, blossom of mine, in the darkness. …my companions have become darkness.  Psalm 88, I Cry Out Day and Night Before You, verse 18 Our children want to die, and their companions have become darkness. We thought that if we did everything right, if we trained them in the way they should go, if we instructed their hearts in Truth, they would be safe. Such cruel untruth. I am aware at this moment of no less than eight children who have had suicidal ideations or attempted to take their own lives in recent weeks. Their parents are all Christian leaders whom I know and love, people who live the gospel. The mental health crisis among our children is growing in strength and velocity. Like the Psalmist,… Read More

Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 2 Chronicles 20:12 Jesus sends us out to help people we feel helpless to help. I had this text exchange with a dear friend from Afghanistan a few days ago. How is your family in Kabul? We are praying for you and are very concerned. We are worrying a lot. Our families got a warning letter from the Taliban to surrender my husband to them otherwise they will face death. My friend’s husband is a hero. He was awarded a purple heart for saving American lives in the fight against the… Read More