Godisnowhere Learning to Lament

Learning to Pray from the Psalms Praise: “LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Ps 8)

Learning to Pray from the Psalms Praise: “LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Ps 8) Trust: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” (Ps 23)

Learning to Pray from the Psalms Praise: “LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Ps 8) Trust: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” (Ps 23) Thanksgiving: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever.” (Ps 107)

Learning to Pray from the Psalms Praise: “LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Ps 8) Trust: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” (Ps 23) Thanksgiving: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever.” (Ps 107) Penitence: “Have mercy on me, O God… cleanse me from my sin.” Ps 51

Learning to Pray from the Psalms Praise: “LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Ps 8) Trust: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” (Ps 23) Thanksgiving: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever.” (Ps 107) Penitence: “Have mercy on me, O God… cleanse me from my sin.” Ps 51 Lament: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Ps 22 / “All your waves and breakers have swept over me…” Ps 42

Godisnowhere

God is nowhere

God is now here

…the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship …the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory… 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies… 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.  (Romans 8:15-17, 22-23, 26)

Psalm 13 1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?     How long will you hide your face from me? 2 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?   3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.     Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, 4 and my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’     and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

Psalm 13 (cont’d) 5 But I trust in your unfailing love;     my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,     for he has been good to me.  

“ Suffering is not a question that demands an answer, not a problem that demands a solution, but a mystery that demands a presence. ” THINK OF THE CHARACTERS DOT REFERENCED: EACH LIVED OUT THEIR CALLING TO BE GOOD NEWS WHERE THEY WERE. HOW CAN YOU BE AN AGENT OF HEAVENLY GRACE RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE? LOOK AT 3 CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLES OF ARTISTS, PILGRIMS AND ACTIVISTS. John Wyatt

Psalm 13 1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?     How long will you hide your face from me? 2 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?   3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.     Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, 4 and my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’     and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

Psalm 13 (cont’d) 5 But I trust in your unfailing love;     my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,     for he has been good to me.