THE LION AND THE LAMENTATIONS

HEALTHY SPIRITUALITY IS HONEST.

To mourn, to be saddened, to be pained or express pain To Lament: Saphad (Hebrew) Thréneó (Greek) To mourn, to be saddened, to be pained or express pain

HEALTHY SPIRITUALTY AND EMOTIONAL WHOLENESS REQUIRE THAT WE PROCESS OUR EMOTIONS.

“The scriptures speak to us, but the Psalms speak for us” - Athanasius

Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am faint; heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony. I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. - Psalm 6

Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favour again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? - Psalm 77

Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression? - Psalm 44

"We need to find a way to cuss without cussing. The psalms do that“ - Eugene Petersen

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. - Psalm 137

My God, I cry by day, but You do not answer, by night, yet I have no rest. - Psalm 22

you’ve ignored me long enough. I’ve looked at the back of your head Long enough, God - you’ve ignored me long enough. I’ve looked at the back of your head long enough. Long enough I’ve carried this ton of trouble, lived with a stomach full of pain. Long enough my arrogant enemies have looked down their noses at me. Take a good look at me, God, my God; I want to look life in the eye, So no enemy can get the best of me or laugh when I fall on my face. - Psalm 13 (MSG)

My God, I cry by day, but You do not answer, by night, yet I have no rest. - Psalm 22

My God, I cry by day, but You do not answer, by night, yet I have no rest. But You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You rescued them. They cried to You and were set free; they trusted in You and were not disgraced. - Psalm 22

you’ve ignored me long enough. I’ve looked at the back of your head Long enough, God - you’ve ignored me long enough. I’ve looked at the back of your head long enough. Long enough I’ve carried this ton of trouble, lived with a stomach full of pain. Long enough my arrogant enemies have looked down their noses at me. Take a good look at me, God, my God; I want to look life in the eye, So no enemy can get the best of me or laugh when I fall on my face. - Psalm 13 (MSG)

I’ve thrown myself headlong into your arms - I’m celebrating your rescue. I’m singing at the top of my lungs, I’m so full of answered prayers. - Psalm 13 (MSG)

The book of Lamentations: Êykhôh (Hebrew) How?

How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations! My eyes fail from weeping, I am in torment within; my heart is poured out on the ground because my people are destroyed, because children and infants faint in the streets of the city. - Lamentations 1:1 | 2:11

and therefore I have hope: 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.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. - Lamentations 3:21-26

Not a sparrow falls to the ground without the Father knowing about it and caring about it. - Matthew 10

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? - Psalm 22

“Churches should be the most honest place in town, not the happiest place in town” - Walter Brueggemann

“To sing a lament in worship reveals far, far greater trust than to sing a jingle about how happy we are and how much we trust him. Lament cuts through insincerity, strips pretence, and reveals the raw nerve of trust that angrily approaches the throne of grace and then kneels in awed, robust wonder.” - Dan Allender