It was warm today – at last – so I’m starting this post with a picture of last year’s cherry blossoms.
In my Laments for Lent series, my plan is to each week talk about a different part of the Lament form, then write an example lament. Unfortunately, this year, I’m easily finding current events to write laments about. In fact, I mentioned that to my (adult) kid who is temporarily staying with me, and they said that at this rate, I can go on to write Jeremiads for June! (Hey, it made me laugh.)
The form of a Lament is:
- Address to God
- Complaint
- Confession of Trust
- Entreaty
- Sureness of Help
- Subsequent Praise
The Confession of Trust comes after we’ve expressed ourselves, when we step back and remind ourselves that there’s a reason we’re coming to God with this mess, because we do trust God. It’s often short and sweet, but a reminder that we do believe God sees.
Here are a couple of examples:
Psalm 54:4–
Surely God is my help;
the Lord is the one who sustains me.
Psalm 86:15–
But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
This week, I’m going to write a Lament for War:
O God, why do the nations rage,
and the peoples plot against each other?
Shepherd of the world, hear us
as we cry out to you!
O Sovereign over all of us,
the leaders of our own country
have chosen violence in place of peace.
When negotiations were having an effect
they chose to attack.
A ship that had gone to participate in a naval exercise in good faith
was blown out of the water,
with no one staying to rescue the survivors,
despite the Geneva Convention.
A girls’ school was “accidentally” targeted –
was AI involved? –
and over a hundred children killed.
Desalination plants have been targeted,
destroying clean water resources for millions of people.
The leaders of our country have boasted
about raining down death and destruction.
Once upon a time,
I thought we were the good guys.
I’m standing horrified
at the thought of all the innocent lives lost
because of the actions of people
wearing the flag of my country.
As well as the repercussions that are sure to hit
in the form of terrorism,
high prices,
and other impacts I don’t even want to imagine.
I’m avoiding war news
because it turns my stomach.
How privileged am I that I can do that?
I don’t even know how to pray,
so let me at least acknowledge this situation is a horror and a travesty
and a reviving of violence
where there could have been peace.
Almighty God, you are the Prince of Peace
and you bless the peacemakers.
You see the sparrow fall
and you know the name of each injured child.
Lord God, be a shelter for everyone in danger.
Let peacemakers rise up,
and let men of violence be thwarted.
Let the arrogant be humbled,
and let this horrible example
result in the world working together
to heal and restore.
Somehow, somewhere, sometime,
let there be peace on earth.
And we do believe the day will come
when the lion will lie down with the lamb,
and the child will put their hand into a viper’s nest,
and they will neither harm nor destroy
on all your holy mountain.
And great will be our rejoicing
with every example of peace overcoming evil.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.