“Into the Light: Finding Hope Through Prayers of Lament” Lesson 9: The end of lament Isaiah 25:6-10; Revelation 21:1-8 Revelation 21:1-8 has long been a favorite Scripture of mine. The promise of a time when there would be no more tears, pain, mourning or crying strikes a longing that we carry deep within us. The words rise up with hope like a flag unfurled, caught and borne up by the wind. Hope is desire and expectation of something new. Hope can be made of dreams, love, forgiveness and friendships. South African bishop Desmond Tutu said, “Hope is being able to see the light despite all the darkness.” There has been lots of darkness, heaviness and a shroud of anxiety over the world this past year. It has been difficult to see the light in the face of tremendous loss: personal loss when we are long absent from friends and family; job losses; anguish when loved ones have died during the pandemic; and national unease as our lives have been upended. We have felt adrift and … [Read more...]

“Into the Light: Finding Hope Through Prayers of Lament” Lesson 8: God laments Hosea 11:1-9; Luke 19:41-44 It has been years since their daughter has contacted them. She does not pick up when her parents call her. They are not even sure where she lives now. In high school, she fell in with a bad crowd. Her grades dropped and she started skipping school. Her parents were deeply worried, but every attempt to reach her failed. Now she is gone. Memories of the delight that they had with their daughter as an infant, a toddler and as a child bring fresh pain. Sadness, worry, regret and anger cycle through her parents’ souls, never far below the surface. Such is the suffering of parents whose child is lost to them. It is the suffering of God as well. The prophet Hosea paints a vivid picture of how God, like a mother, tenderly treated the children of Israel. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them up in my arms; but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with … [Read more...]

“Into the Light: Finding Hope Through Prayers of Lament” Lesson 7: Creation Laments Isaiah 24:4-6,8, 19; Romans 8:19-23 Plastic pollution in the oceans is enormous. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is estimated to contain 80,000 tons of plastic in an area twice the size of Texas. Plastics are not biodegradable. They break down into smaller and smaller pieces, which are ingested by turtles, fish and birds. Eighty-four percent of plastics contain toxins, which pass into animals and our food chain. There are four other garbage patches in oceans around the world. The oceans are sick and life is endangered. According to the United Nations report of May 2019, there are now one million species under threat of extinction. Using input from 445 experts and 15,000 governmental and scientific reviews from around the world, the “culprits are in descending order: (1) changes in land and sea use; (2) direct exploitation of organisms; (3) climate change; (4) pollution; and (5) invasive alien … [Read more...]

Lesson 6:  Lamentations 5:1-22; Luke 23:26-31  I remember the lack of trees, shrubs, flowers and playgrounds — the barrenness. I was in high school traveling across the deep South with a large youth singing group. On our way into New Orleans, we passed through shantytowns and the impoverished landscape went on for miles and miles. I was disturbed deeply and could not shake off what I saw.  Our study asks us to think about what issues and situations are a cause for lament in our communities. For me, the answer is entrenched poverty and racism — not only because of what I have witnessed, but because Scripture clearly demands that we create a more just society.  I knew that segregation and Jim Crow laws created incredible poverty. I have also known that in the inner city there is a high concentration of Blacks who are poor. It is only within the last year that I have come to understand why cities were planned to have high-density poor areas where people of color live.  When the … [Read more...]

Lesson 5: Lamenting Life Anxiety, anger and turmoil stalked us in 2020. With millions of people out of work and infected with the coronavirus, George Floyd brutally murdered, rancorous political divides and countless tales of suffering, we were inundated with terrible news. With one day very much like the one before it, the pandemic produced a “brain fog” for some people. Parents coping with jobs and schools moving online caused frustration that reached boiling points. Life became overwhelming for many — and if not overwhelming, a malaise and numbness settled upon us. In the Book of Job, Job reaches the end of his rope. Job’s children are dead and his flocks are decimated. He is afflicted with sores all over his body. Job is understandably angry, depressed and hopeless. Some of us can identify with Job when the undertows of life drag us under. A debilitating illness, the break-up of a relationship, the trauma of racism or military combat, job loss or mental illness can overpower … [Read more...]

Lesson 4:  John 11:1-44 It is a story about death, lament, reproach and signs that point to God’s power. It is a deeply personal story and, as the Gospel of John tells us, the story reveals the enormous power of God at work in Jesus. Jesus loves Lazarus and his two sisters, Martha and Mary. They are good friends. While some miles away, Jesus hears of the life-threatening illness of Lazarus. Jesus inexplicably waits two days before going to his friend. Jesus seems unconcerned and uncaring about his friend’s need — but Jesus understands something cosmic is at stake. When Jesus tells his disciples clearly that Lazarus has died, he explains that the delay was so his disciples (including us) will have their trust in him deepened. Martha comes out to greet Jesus and the first words on her lips are reproachful. “Jesus, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Even still, I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” Martha laments. Like the psalms of lament, she … [Read more...]