Lament

A friend wrote this evening to say that she felt the need to grieve together for the pain, sorrow, disappointment, fear and unrest of the last few days.  She wondered if we could all grieve together so our hearts could be healed.

And so, Dear Readers, I pass this request on to all of you.  So many feelings fill this time of uncertainty and unrest.  I suspect there is not one among us who is unaffected by the events of the last week.

Please join me, then, in mourning the losses we feel.  Let us begin by confessing the fears, and then all the other feelings that bubble to the surface to God.  And then make our requests known to our Savior.  He is listening.  He expects us to come.  He is gathering in His sheep to the fold to protect and comfort us.  Let's spend time at his feet.

In the spirit of my last blog, I have poured some words of my own into a psalm, which I will share with you here.  I would love to read some of yours as well.

Lament

Lord, my soul is mired in a thousand swirling cries

That tumble through my mind—

Words of lament, of sorrow, of shame;

Words of anger, of hate, of rage;

Pleas for mercy, for healing, for unity.

I cannot imagine what You hear, O God,

Or what Your heart must feel as You

Receive into Yourself the devastation and pain of Your Creation.

The vessel that receives our tears overflows, Jesus.

As one wave of tension recedes

Grief mounts an even greater swell

Threatening to wash away the remnants of order.

On all sides steeple bells clang a warning.

Which way shall we turn?  Where is safety?

Only with You, God.

Hide us in the Sanctuary of Your Heart, Lord Jesus.

Let our hearts beat with Your Heart, 

Our breathing match the rhythm Your breathing.

Your Spirit Who indwells us is Unity—

With You, with each other, with all those made in Your Image.

May that deep place re-create us  

As You intend us to be.

May we be One with You.

Remember—the Holy Spirit attends the reading of scripture.  Take comfort in His presence as you also read Psalm 25.

Psalm 25

1 To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

2  O my God, I trust in You;

Let me not be ashamed;

Let not my enemies triumph over me.

3  Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed;

Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.

4  Show me Your ways, O Lord;

Teach me Your paths.

5  Lead me in Your truth and teach me,

For You are the God of my salvation;

On You I wait all the day.

6  Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,

For they are from of old.

7  Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;

According to Your mercy remember me,

For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.

8  Good and upright is the Lord;

Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.

9  The humble He guides in justice,

And the humble He teaches His way.

10  All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth,

To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.

11  For Your name’s sake, O Lord,

Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

12  Who is the man that fears the Lord?

Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.

13  He himself shall dwell in prosperity,

And his descendants shall inherit the earth.

14  The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,

And He will show them His covenant.

15  My eyes are ever toward the Lord,

For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.

16  Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,

For I am desolate and afflicted.

17  The troubles of my heart have enlarged;

Bring me out of my distresses!

18  Look on my affliction and my pain,

And forgive all my sins.

19  Consider my enemies, for they are many;

And they hate me with cruel hatred.

20  Keep my soul, and deliver me;

Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.

21  Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,

For I wait for You.

22  Redeem Israel, O God,

Out of all their troubles!