A Plan for Lament

Morning, church.

Let's pray.

Lord, you know the deep places

through which our life must go.

Help us when we enter them

to lift our hearts to you.

Help us to be patient when we are afflicted,

to be humble when we are in distress,

and grant that the hope of your mercy

may never fail us,

and the consciousness of your loving kindness

may never be crowded or hidden from our sight.

Through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Greetings, and I'm glad that you can join us today,

especially if you're joining us online.

If this is your first time tuning in to our live stream

or gathering with us here,

we have been studying over the last few weeks

the topic of lament

from the book of Lamentation

and Psalms in the Old Testament of the Bible.

So have you heard of the term lament?

When someone says he or she is lamenting,

what exactly are they doing?

If today is not your first time with us,

and you have journeyed with us

and with the writer of Psalms and Lamentation,

have you practiced any laments in the last few weeks?

James, the brother of Jesus,

wrote us in his letter in the New Testament

from chapter 1, verse 22.

James 1, verse 22 says,

James 1:22

Do not merely listen to the word

and so deceive yourself.

Do what it says.

Anyone who listens to the word

but does not do what it says

is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror

and after looking at himself,

goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

But whoever looks intently into the perfect law

that gives freedom and continues in it,

not forgetting what they have heard,

but doing it,

they will be blessed in what they do.

James warn us that

if we listen to God's word

but take no action

in practicing what we hurt,

we are deceiving ourselves.

We are deceiving ourselves

into thinking that we are right with God

when we are not.

If we take no action,

our faith is a shame

and will have devastating consequences

for our life now

and our eternal destiny.

If we merely listen to God's word

but do not do what it says,

it's like someone who looks into a mirror.

The mirror that James referred to

is not the same that we use now,

but the one that make with polished copper or bronze,

which does not give a good impression

to someone who only take a glance of it.

It will take a considerable amount of time

to work out what you look like with them.

What we see in a mirror

is meant to lead us into action.

For someone who might be a bit more confident

with their image,

looking in the mirror

will lead them to more admiration of themselves.

They will stop at every mirror

and not just making sure they look okay,

but they will admire themselves

and say,

oh, why do I look so handsome?

Oh, I look so perfect.

But for general people,

the action is usually corrective,

such as a dirty face that needs to be washed.

The only reason that you can walk away

and immediately forget what you look like

would be because you utterly regret

the fault you saw or discovered

and instantly forget what you have seen.

It's ludicrous to have checked your face in the mirror

or hear God's words

and rapidly ignore and forget what you have heard.

It's absurd for someone who belongs to God

or call themselves a Christian,

a follower of Christ,

to be so cavalier towards God's word.

So let's repent together

and turn towards God

like how the book of Lamentation finished

at chapter 5, verse 21 and 22

by praying,

restore us to yourself, Lord,

that we might return.

Renew our days as of old

unless you have utterly rejected us

and are angry with us beyond measure.

Suppose you are not yet a believer

or follower of Christ

or follower of the biblical God

who created this world

and you and me.

Lamenting is part and partial of the Bible,

the word of God.

It is also part and partial of a Christian life.

God encourages us, his follower,

to join him in lamenting

over the fallen situation

of his created world.

To lament is to know God.

So let's together,

online, in person,

believe it or not yet,

look at what, why,

and how to lament today.

So what is lament?

Lament is a declaration

of the struggles and sufferings

you are experiencing

directly to God

with honesty

and in a God-honoring way.

I've been reading

a book by Gordon Wynham

named

The Soldiers Reclaimed,

Praying and Praising with the Psalms.

He commented that

lament is a prayer to God

for delivery

from Christ

regarding enemies,

defeats in battle,

and a life-threatening illness.

These prayers of lament

are written and collected

in the Psalms and lamentation

of the Bible.

In this crisis situation,

the person lamenting

often seems to think

that God has deserted them.

almost half of the 150 Psalms

are lament Psalms.

Usually,

the most common format

is complaint,

with a cry for help

and description of distress.

Petition,

with an appeal to God

and reason for divine intervention.

And praise,

that ends on a note of certainty

that prayer has been heard

and a vow

to praise God

for deliveries.

So the usual pattern

for lament

is complain,

petition,

and praise.

Like the Psalm

we just read out

by Vivian,

Psalm 13,

it goes like this,

How long, Lord,

will you forget me forever?

How long

will you hide your face from me?

How long

must I wrestle

with my thoughts

and day after day

have sorrow in my heart?

How long

will my enemy

triumph over me?

Look on me

and answer,

Lord my God.

Give light to my eyes

or I will sleep in death.

And my enemy

will say,

I have overcome him.

And my foes rejoice

when I fall.

The Psalmist

was in real trouble.

His enemy

were attacking him

and he doubt

whether God

still cared

for him.

He worried

that his enemy

will realize

how shaky

his faith is

and will go

over the loss

of faith.

But like most men,

Psalm 13

suddenly changed key,

ending on a note

of confidence

and praise

in verse 5.

But I trust

in your unfailing love.

My heart

rejoiced

in your salvation.

I will sing

the Lord's praise

for he has been

good to me.

Though the man

usually ends

on a note of hope,

several do not.

Though at some point

they may express hope,

the Psalmist

sometimes referred

to a despair

at the end.

His glamour

of hope

seems extinguished.

and it is

at this point,

at those dark

points,

that God's

steadfast love

will shine

through

to prove

his faithfulness

to us.

So some of you

might question

whether it's

appropriate

for Christians

to lament

and some of us

did ask that.

Can Christians

use such sound?

Shall we not

be giving thanks

in all circumstances?

Are such songs

appropriate

to people of faith,

particularly for use

in public worship?

So why do we lament?

Lament lines up

our thoughts

about our situation

with God's plans

for us

and this world.

Lament

turns and

tunes

our heart

to the hurt

and anger

of God

towards

our

mentality

towards

him

and his

word.

Lament

drives us

to action

which often

involves

confession

and repentance.

So lament

brings our

heart,

our heart,

our head

and our hands

together

to glorify God.

Christians

should be

lamenting

together

or quote

psalms

that is

written

for lament

because

lament

are most

quoted

in the

New Testament.

Psalm 22

and 69

are the two

most quoted

psalms

by all the

writers

of the

New Testament.

Psalm 69

was quoted

in the book

of John,

in the book

of Acts

and Romans.

Christians,

a follower

of Christ

should lament

because of

Christ

we follow

Jesus,

pray

Psalm 22

on the cross

and Psalm 31

just before

he died.

On the night

before he

rests,

he would have

been singing

a few

lament psalms

with his

disciples.

So,

we should

lament

or use

the psalms

of lament

because

our

Christ

was

the one

that using

it.

Christians

in today's

society

get nervous

when we

come across

a sentence

like,

how long

Lord

will you

forget me

forever?

How long

will you

hide your

face from

me?

Because

this kind

of sentence

counters

our culture

of positivity.

Our religious

culture

identifies

strong faith

with

ambitions,

ambitious,

joyful,

and strong.

Our society

emphasizes

and pursue

comfortable

self-made

life and

prides itself

on being

better than

the rest

of the world.

Many

Christians

are influenced

by our

society

and have

difficulty

emphasizing

with the

reality of

suffering

and the

seemingly

absence of

God.

We think

it's not

appropriate

to lament

to or

about God

is too

negative

to make

God look

bad.

another

reason we

must lament

in today's

society

by using

or praying

these

psalms

is those

who think

they have

no problem

and difficulties

in their

life can

learn to

sympathize

with those

in trouble

and pray

for those

suffering

or persecuted.

Our

reality is

no one

is immune

to suffering

and challenges

in life.

And maybe

the reality

for you

right now

is you

are under

significant

burden.

Both

physical

and spiritual

sickness,

marital

problems,

financial

difficulties,

pressure at

work,

even harassment

and persecution.

The

advancing of

your age

bring all

sorts of

problems

with you.

you find

it very

hard to

come

full of

joy

or

happiness.

When you

can see

no way

out

and in

your

distress,

lamenting

and crying

out,

how long

Lord,

is a sure

and only

way

of getting

to our

saying

the Lord's

praise

for his

has been

good to

me.

So what

is the

most significant

experience of

suffering that

you have

gone through

that you

are going

through

now?

What

injustice

and social

issues

disturb you

most?

God is

inviting you

to put

your trust

in him

and lament

with him

over your

significant

sufferings

and to

cry out

to him.

Bring your

lamentation

to God,

especially if

you are now

in the middle

of your

hardship.

Let's

practice

lamentation,

lamenting

together,

together,

bring your

suffering

to God.

We'll

practice

lamenting

together

today by

reading out

aloud Psalm

13,

42,

and 43

to each

other.

We'll

divide this

church into

four groups,

including you

online.

So group

one,

session one

will be

over there

in front

of the

Stingas

window.

Session

two will

be to

my left

here.

Session

three is

this group,

including you

online,

and session

four is

those under

the mezzanine.

So what

we're going

to do is

we're going

to read

out loud

on the

screen as

the scripture

comes up.

So session

one, we'll

start reading

out Lamentation

5, 21 to 22,

and then Psalm

13.

And while the

session is

reading, the

rest of us

can listen.

And then

the next

session, we'll

read the

next session

of text, and

the rest can

listen as

well.

So as we

read out

these verses,

let's bring

to your mind

the suffering

that you might

be going

through, and

also the

suffering of

this world.

And let's

bring this

word to

God, and

let God's

word lead

you through

a journey

of lament.

Amen.

So session

one, please

join me to

read out.

Restore us

to yourself,

Lord, that

we might

return, renew

our days as

of old, unless

you have

utterly reject

us and are

angry with us

beyond

measure.

How long,

Lord, will

you forget

me forever?

How long

will you hide

your face

from me?

how long

must I

wrestle with

my thoughts

and day

after day

have sorrow

in my heart?

How long

will my

enemy triumph

over me?

Look on

me and

answer,

Lord, my

God, give

light to

my eyes

or I will

sleep in

death.

And my

enemy will

say, I

have overcome

him, and

my foes

will rejoice

when I

fall.

But I

trust in

your unfailing

love.

my heart

rejoice in

your salvation.

And I

will sing

praise, sing

the Lord's

praise, for

he has been

good to

me.

Session

two.

Ready?

As the

deer pants

for streams

of water,

so my

soul pants

for you,

my God.

My soul

thirsts for

God, for

the living

God, when

can I go

and meet

with God?

My teeth

have been

my food

day and

night, while

people say

to me all

day long,

where is

your God?

These things

I remember

as I

pour out my

soul, how

I used to

go to the

house of

God.

Under the

protection of

mighty one,

we shout of

joy and

praise among

the

fisted

throne.

Why, my

soul, are

you

downcast?

Why so

disturbed

within me?

Put your

hope in

God, for

I will yet

praise him,

my

savior and

my God.

Session

three, and

those of you

online, please

join me.

My soul

is

downcast

within me,

therefore I

will remember

you from

the land of

the Jordan,

the height of

Hermon,

from Mount

Missa.

Deep

course to

deep in

the roar of

your waterfalls,

all your

waves and

breakers have

swept over

me.

I

day the

Lord

dearest

his love,

and light

the song

is with

me.

I

pray to

the God

of my

life.

I

say to

my God,

my rock,

why have

you forgotten

me?

why must

I go

about

mourning,

oppressed

by the

enemy?

My bones

suffer mortal

agony,

as my

foes

taunt me,

saying to

me all

day long,

where is

your God?

Why,

my soul,

are you

downcast?

Why so

disturbed

within me?

Put your

hope in

the

God,

for I

will yet

praise

him,

my

savior

and my

God.

And

section

four

over

there.

Vindicate

me,

my

God,

and

plead

the

rescue

me from

those who

are

deceitful

and wicked.

You

are God,

my

stronghold.

Why

have you

rejected

me?

Why

must I

go about

mourning,

oppressed

by the

enemy?

Send

me your

light and

your

faithful

care.

Let

them

bring me

to your

holy

mountain,

to the

place where

you

dwell.

Then I

will go

to the

altar of

God,

to God

my joy

and my

delight.

I

will praise

you with

the

lead.

O

God,

my

God,

why my

soul are

you

downcast?

Why so

disturbed

within me?

Put your

hope in

God,

for I

will yet

praise him,

my

savior and

my

God.

And let's

read together

this next

session.

Together,

we

store us

to

yourself,

Lord,

that we

might

return.

Renew

our

days as

of

old.

Unless

you

have

utterly

rejected

us and

are angry

with us

beyond

measure.

How

long,

Lord,

will you

forget me

forever?

How

long will

you hide

your face

from me?

how long

must I

wrestle with

my thoughts

and day

after day

have sorrow

in my

heart?

How

long will

my enemy

triumph

over me?

Look

on me

and answer,

Lord my

God.

Give light

to my eyes

or I

will sleep

in death.

And my

enemy

will say

I have

overcome

him and

my foes

rejoice

when I

fall.

But I

trust in

your unfailing

love.

my heart

rejoice

in your

salvation.

I will

sing the

Lord's

praise for

he has

been good

to me.

Many

haunting

questions

will

surface

and often

surface in

the middle

of a

difficult

circumstance.

While we're

reading through

those section

of Psalms,

what comes

up to

your mind?

while we

wait for

God to

deliver us,

we cannot

help but

question

sometimes,

have we

missed the

way by

mistake?

Have we

done something

wrong?

So we are

facing what

we're facing

now.

Does God

care?

Is God

there after

all or have

we been

mistaken all

along?

Waiting

does something

to us.

I don't

know,

have you

ever been

to an

emergency

ward when

you are

so urgently

needed some

help?

So you

got in

there,

you

waited,

you got

a number,

and every

time a

nurse will

pass,

you're

like,

is that

me?

Or

someone

that I

want to

help?

But the

longer you

sit in

there,

the reaction

of your

heart

is slow.

The

longest the

people

that sit

in the

emergency

ward often

is the

waiting

part

actually

changed

them.

Waiting

does

something

to us,

and it

also tells

us something.

It shows

what our

relationship

is to

the person

and to

the event

that we

are waiting

for.

The way

a man

will wait

for his

fiancee

and the

wedding,

the way

they're

expecting

parents

wait for

their

babies

during

their

pregnancy.

The

excitement

of the

waiting

because

the

person

that

they're

waiting

for,

the

event

they're

waiting

for,

is worth

waiting

for.

Waiting

shows us

what we

think of

the person

who keeps

us

waiting,

and we

have to

wait no

more,

because the

Lord has

come.

Our

Savior,

our God,

has

disamounted us.

Jesus is

not a

means to

an end

or mechanism

through which

we can

change our

circumstance.

He is

the end.

Our

circumstance

means to

drive us

to him.

It's not

that our

suffering

doesn't

matter.

It matters

enough to

bring tears

to the eyes

of the

Son of

God,

Jesus.

when he

saw

someone

die,

when he

saw

Jerusalem,

and people

are not

worshipping

God as

the way

they should.

Our

suffering,

our

circumstance

means to

drive us

to Jesus,

to God.

Our

suffering

matters

to our

God.

it

matters

like a

first

meeting,

matters

to a

marriage,

or like

a birth,

matters

to

motherhood.

It's

the entry

point to

a

relationship

formed

through

suffering

as much

as through

joy.

As if

Jesus

claimed

the goal

of our

existence

is a

relationship

with him,

finding

him in

our

suffering

is a

main

point

of

lamenting.

Let's

pray.

Lord,

you know

the deep

places

through which

our life

must go.

Help us

when we

enter them.

To

leave our

hearts to

you,

help us

to be

patient

when we

are

affected,

to be

humble

when we

are in

distress,

and grant

that the

hope of

your mercy

may never

fail us,

and the

consciousness

of your

loving kindness

may never

be crowded

or hidden

from our

eyes.

Through

Jesus Christ,

your Son,

our Lord.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.