Lament Anyone?

Have you ever lamented? This is not a term that we often here or say. Sounds like a exotic French coffee flavor doesn’t it? The dictionary states that to lament is to express sadness, grief or sorrow about something. Also to express regret, annoyance or disappointment about something. Now again, have you ever lamented or are you lamenting right now? If you have ever read the Book of Lamentations in the bible you know what real lamenting is. I challenge you to read it but be prepared for the utter hopelessness of it’s content. When I read it I found myself almost as depressed as Jeremiah the author of this book. As my husband would say “lower than a whales belly”. Jeremiah was known as the “weeping prophet” and I can see why. He was weeping for Judah who was going through all kinds of calamity. In the introduction of Lamentations it says that those who are feeling wounded, hurt, or betrayed may feel strangely understood reading this book. I have felt wounded at times and could identify with the some of the suffering expressed here. This book was brought to my attention by one of the heroes in my life during a particularly excruciatingly difficult times in her life. She identified with the hurt and suffering but led me to Lamentation 3:21-26 and the word that leaped out at me was “Yet” in the beginning of vs. 21. After all that we go through and all that she had gone through there was a “yet”.

Yet, this I call to mind and therefore I have hope. Lamentations 3:21

I like how the The Message puts it:

I’ll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
The taste of ashes, the poison I’ve swallowed.
I remember it all__oh, how well I remember
The feeling of hitting the bottom.
But there’s one other thing I remember
And remembering , I keep a grip on hope.

God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,
His merciful love couldn’t have dried up.
They’re created new every morning.
How great is your faithfulness?
I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He’s all I’ve got left.

God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits.
To the woman who diligently seeks.
It’s a good thing to quietly hope,
Quietly hope for help from God.

My hero is waiting, as all of us has waited from time to time, waiting, quietly waiting and hoping for help to come from God. Remembering that His love is created new every morning. That his merciful love couldn’t have run out or dried up. Remembering to keep a grip on hope!