Lament

Tuesday Refocus: August 15

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“Lament will not allow us to revert to the easy answers.” - Soong Chan-Rah

Our church has been studying the Gospel of Mark this year. Throughout the book we see glimpses of the humanity of Jesus grieved over sin and death. Jesus weeps, groans, and sighs as he encounters the brokenness wrought by sin in the world and on people made in the image of God.

We are so quick to avoid pain and suffering. We numb, distract, ignore, and brush past the brokenness of the world. And when we are left without option we even use Scripture to shield ourselves: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Of course this passage is true. But isn’t it interesting that Jesus never settles for Bible bandaids? We see in Scripture that he enters into the suffering of others, even though he knows he will heal, restore, and reconcile people. Jesus - though fully God and fully man - gives voice to the pain of the world, and people.

People are limited in our ability to heal, but by entering into the suffering of others (rather than avoiding, or Bible-bandaiding) we can give presence and peace that glimpses Christ for others. And as we enter in, we can celebrate that Christ has come to enter into the suffering of the world by taking our sin upon Himself at the cross (1 Peter 2:24). And we can look with hope, longing, and expectation to the day where he will return to wipe every tear, and set all things right (Rev 21:1-4).

Jesus, give us the courage to enter into the suffering of the world. In Your name we pray, amen.

With,

AB

22 August: Set List + Liturgy

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  • ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK

Our world is not as it should be. Sin has warped and distorted and broken everyone and everything. Even creation itself groans under the weight of sin. Maybe you have experienced that first hand this week, or maybe you are aware of it as you have seen the devastation of another earthquake in Haiti and the chaos of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. Maybe you are thinking, ‘those things are sad, but I don’t live in Haiti or Afghanistan…’. One of the reasons we gather as the people of God is to be reminded that we belong together. If you are a follower of Jesus, you have not been saved just to be an individual, but have been saved to be a part of a family, a part of a Body of Christ, His Church. And if you are a member of this church, you belong to this local expression of the Body of Christ, but every follower of Jesus is also a member of the Global, Universal Church - the Body of Christ made up of followers of Jesus from every tribe, every tongue, every language and every nation on the planet throughout time, and history, even now. And right now, we have brothers and sisters, members of our family who we will never meet this side of eternity in Haiti and Afghanistan who are experiencing the weight and the brokenness of sin in a very acute way - and that should grieve us. But as followers of Jesus, we are people that hold tensions. We hold the tension of acknowledging that there is sin and brokenness in the world, and at the same time acknowledging that there is a firm foundation, a solid rock which is Christ - the One who will return to set all things right and make all things new. That is lament - grief and hope, grief with expectation, grief with anticipation of what God will do. We will continue in worship praying this prayer of lament particularly on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Haiti and Afghanistan.

PRAYER OF LAMENT:

LEADER:

Why, O Lord, do you stand far away?

    Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?

ALL:

Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up Your hand;

    forget not the afflicted.

LEADER:

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?

    How long will You hide Your face from me?

How long must I take counsel in my soul

    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?

How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

ALL:

But I have trusted in Your steadfast love;

    my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord,

    because he has dealt bountifully with me.

ALL:

Deliver us, O Lord, from evil men;

    preserve us from violent men, 

who plan evil things in their heart

    and stir up wars continually.

We know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted,

    and will execute justice for the needy.

Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name;

    the upright shall dwell in Your presence.

(Psalm 10:1-2, 12, Psalm 13:1-2,5-6, from Psalm 140:1-2, 12-13)

  • GRACE ALONE

  • BUILD MY LIFE

Sermon: Psalm 132

  • EVER BE

Communion

  • RAISE UP THE CROWN (ALL HAIL THE POWER)

21 February: Psalm 74

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'O Lover to the uttermost, may I read the meltings of Thy heart to me... 

...in the manger of Thy birth,
...in the garden of Thy agony,
...in the cross of Thy suffering,
...in the tomb of Thy resurrection, ...in the heaven of Thy intercession. 

Thou has loved me eternally and unchangeably, may I love Thee as I am loved by Thee. Thou has given Thyself for me, may I give myself to Thee. Thou has died for me, 

may I live to Thee... 

...in every moment of my time, ...in every movement of my mind, ...in every pulse of my heart.’ 

VALLEY OF VISION

Psalm 77 instastory.jpg

To download a complete PDF of the Lent Devotional, click here.