Aug 30: Lamentations cont.

1. Honest prayer.

Let's start by focusing on the second part of the reading: a long list describing the current situation the Israelites are in. It is a vivid, poetic, dark depiction of their destruction as a people. We've said a bit about how they ended up to that point. But I was more interested today by the ending of Jeremiah's lament:

You, O LORD, reign forever;
your throne endures from generation to generation

Why do you always forget us?

Why do you forsake us so long?

Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return;
renew our days as of old

unless you have utterly rejected us
and are angry with us beyond measure. (Lam 5:19-22)

Jeremiah was giving the voice of the Hebrew people here. It looks like they were quick to say: God always forgets us…He forgets us for a long time…Perhaps he is so angry with us, he is rejecting us… Always?! Reject?! So long?! This doesn't sound like their God who patiently warned them throughout their history, again and again, of the wages of their sin. Their God who promised them that as long as they love and obey Him, He will never forsake them and it will go well with them! This 'complaining' was unfair to God (to say the least.)

But on the other hand, this is what I like about this ending: it sounds like an honest prayer of someone reaching out to God for answers. It's what was on their hearts, fair or not. Recently, a friend and I were talking about how it's hard to pray when you are struggling with 'why' questions to God. We've made resolutions before to pray more often, for more things, etc. But this time we set only one goal: to have honest prayers to God. Just that. And it's been freeing for me, because I'm telling God only what He already knows is in my heart. If I blurt in prayer "I trust you God" but at the same time my heart is heavy with worry and doubt, I'm only fooling myself and I'm avoiding asking Him for the help I need. Now, being honest with God guarantees that He will respond by talking sense into us! As He had done with the Israelites through prophets like Jeremiah. I hope that our prayers are honest, but at the same time that we cling to God's word to find, comfort, wisdom and hope.

2. Hope.

The reading today actually began with another long list: of all the suffering Jeremiah's gone trough. After few verses you begin to think: what else could he bear? But then comes Jeremiah's beautiful 'Yet.' Despite his suffering, Jeremiah reminds himself of the knowledge of God's great love, compassion and faithfulness. This knowledge gives him hope:

I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.

I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.

Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him." (Lam 3:19-24)

Jeremiah's words of his suffering can be true of every storm in our lives:

You came near when I called you,

and you said, "Do not fear."

O Lord, you took up my case;
you redeemed my life. (Lam 3:57-58)