Learning to Lament

"Lament is a cry of belief in a good God, a God who has His ear to our hearts, a God who transfigures the ugly into beauty.  Complaint is the bitter howl of unbelief in any benevolent God in this moment, a distrust in the love-beat of the Father's heart."

-Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

Let's compare and contrast a complaint from the Bible with a lament from the Bible. The Israelites started out well but their cry to the Lord quickly evaporated into complaint.

" . . . They cried out to the LORD.

"Then they turned against Moses and complained,'Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? 
Weren't there enough graves for us in Egypt?
Why did you make us leave?
Didn't we tell you to leave us alone while we were still in Egypt?
Out Egyptian slavery was far better than dying out here in the wilderness!'"
Exodus 14:11-12
The Israelites as they were trapped between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea

     Note the Israelites immediately blamed someone nearby - they turned against Moses. Blaming and divisiveness signal complaint. They became sarcastic and spit out "told you so's" and recriminations. They even lied to themselves by painting their days of slavery as the good old days. They asked "Why? Why? Why?"  but assume there's no answer. Once they cried out to the Lord, they forgot Him, His power, the ten plagues, their exit from Egypt and how God preserved their own firstborn sons when the Death Angel made his rounds. They were newly freed but still living as slaves to sight, sound and circumstances. 

     Read David's lament below and see how differently the Shepherd King expressed his dismay and fear at being surrounded by the enemy.  He left anger to his enemies and plans to his God. He poured out one-third concern mixed with two-thirds faith. He declared Truth, not lies. He pled for Justice and mercy from the Eternal Judge who delights in showing mercy to those to trust Him. 

"Though I am surrounded by troubles,

You will preserve me against the anger of my enemies.

You will clench Your fist against my angry enemies!

Your power will save me.

The LORD will work out His plans for my life--

for Your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever.

Don't abandon me, for You made me."

Psalm 138:7-8 (NLT)

A Psalm of David

     Complaining leaves God out; lamenting places God front and center where He belongs regardless of our circumstances.

Lord, God, we're a complaining people, filled with fear, unrest and whining, spewing blame and divisiveness. Forgive us for leaving You out of the picture. We act as though we're newly freed instead of old friends You've carried up and down many paths. God, help us be people after Your own heart - ready to turn to You, call to You and stick around to listen to Your answers.  Open our minds to trust You completely.  Close our mouths to complaining to others. Teach us to lament in faith.

In the Name of Jesus

Diamonds in the Ruff

"Don’t be proud at all. Be completely gentle.

Be patient. Put up with one another in love."

Ephesians 4:2

“I give you a new command. Love one another.

You must love one another, just as I have loved you."

John 13:35

     When we lost Little Mac a few weeks ago, I didn't want another dog - at least not for a while.  Watching that little guy die was hard and made me dread the reality of losing people I love.  In a few days, however, I started weighing the pros and cons. In one scale I put the years of joy that white furball gave us  and in the other, the hurt of the loss.  The dog had been worth my tears and had brought much more joy than sadness to our lives. The house seemed empty and lonely when I came home alone.  So, we started praying about and looking for our next furry friend.

Best in Show - National Kennel Club
Wire Haired Fox Terrier

      God used the National Dog Show, aired on Thanksgiving Day, to help us understand the importance of choosing a dog that fits our lifestyle.  Some dogs need large spaces and athletic owners so those breeds came off our list. Nick wanted a Siberian Husky, but we learned that these beautiful,working dogs are virtually untrainable off a leash.  Go figure: dogs bred to pull a sled want to run for miles. Some tiny dogs need to be "only pets" or they border on having nervous breakdowns when another pet gets too much attention. Some breeds need constant companionship and interaction with either a human or a second dog.

Best for Us
Pound Mutt - Gus

    

     The announcer for the National Dog Show asked: "Is it any wonder so many dogs end up abandoned or in shelters? People want a dog for the way it looks or because they've seen it in a movie, then they find out their new dog needs something they can't or don't want to give."  

     The expectations we impose on others (be it dog, spouse, child, friend, or spiritual leader) usually turn into killjoys. Why? Because we design our expectations to meet our needs (nervous diva dogs) not the other person's.  Expectations originate in positive snapshots we've taken of other people and relationships: air-brushed heroes, photo-shopped charm, cultural norms, and romanticized ideas that can't find roots in real soil.  We each want someone to love us for who we are, but we're all guilty of imposing our expectations on others. 
     God loves the mutts and the best in Show, the artistic and the logical, the criers and the stoics, the detail people and the big-picture people, the affectionate and the reserved, the extroverts along with the introverts.  He accepts us just as we are but doesn't leave us as diamonds in the ruff (sorry, couldn't help it).  He refines us for His purposes. How many people do we hound because they aren't meeting our expectations?  How many blessings do we miss in the people we're with because their "inadequacies" and "flaws" nip at our heels?
      Lord, thank You for loving us just the way we are, but thank You for not leaving us in this condition!  Guide our thoughts and affections to accept other people as You accept us.  Show us how to find the blessings You hide in those close by and elevate our joy!  May we obey Your command to love one another.
In the Name of Jesus, our example for loving people in all walks of life.

"Show family affection to one another with brotherly love.

Outdo one another in showing honor."

Romans 12:10

No Leftovers at Our House

"Let the peace that Christ gives rule in your hearts.
As parts of one body, you were appointed to live in peace.
And be thankful."
Colossians 3:15

Because we traveled to Atlanta to enjoy Thanksgiving with family, there are no leftovers at our house. No turkey sandwiches, turkey a la king, . . . etc., etc.  That's the downside of not cooking the Thanksgiving meal in your own home. The upside is someone else does the cooking and worries about who sits at the kids' table this year. I'm thankful either way. 

Gratitude paves the path to peace in Christ. 
Thanks, thanks and more thanks brings peace, peace and deeper peace. 
Just as sin piles up until we must "put" it somewhere before it suffocates us, gratitude accumulates in a long list of blessings that must be counted and savored in a release of  thanks to God. We could thank Him every second for some grace gift, even when we feel pressed down by an uncertain future.

Each second the choice stands before us:
      To focus on the "upside" by expressing gratitude to God for a past or present blessing and let His peace rule our hearts, or;
      To focus on the "downside" by ignoring the blessings and questioning God's love, goodness and faithfulness. 
      God's mercies are new every morning. Blessed assurance floods the soul that savors His blessings and tastes His peace.   
 
"Give thanks as you enter the gates of His temple.

Give praise as you enter its courtyards.
Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
The Lord is good. His faithful love continues forever.
It will last for all time to come."
Psalm 100:4-5

The Three Rs

"The disciples were still talking about this

when Jesus himself suddenly stood among them.

He said, 'May peace be with you!'” 

Luke 24:36

Using the Three Rs to enjoy the Presence of the Lord.

1) Stop

2) Breathe in and breathe out.

3) Focus and apply the three Rs: 

     Realize you're not alone.

     Recognize the Lord God is with you always, but especially right now, in this moment. 

     Reaffirm His Presence by thanking Him for being with you right now, this moment. 

4) Enjoy the Peace that comes with knowing Jesus is with you.

5) Now enjoy it some more.

6) Repeat.

 "Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.

And you can be sure that I am always with you, to the very end.”

Matthew 28:20

"So let us never stop offering to God our praise through Jesus.

Let us offer it as the fruit of lips that say they believe in Him."

Hebrews 13:15



From Your Current Location

"Here is something I am still sure of.

I will see the Lord’s goodness

while I’m still alive.

Wait for the Lord.

Be strong and don’t lose hope.

Wait for the Lord."

Psalm 27:13-14

     On our recent trip to Louisiana, we set our GPS destination for our old address in Springhill. The thing gave us three routes, and options confuse this Type A personality.  We just wanted the best route, but what's "best?"  The first would get us there about four minutes sooner but would require a lot of twists and turns.  The second route would take us through towns with more stops and better roads.  The third route the most direct but appeared to be farther on the map.  So, did we want to arrive sooner but dizzier, well-fed and full-tanked, or later but straighter?

     We started with Route 1, but missed the exit so we defaulted to Route 2. This route jogged us north when we knew we wanted to go south, so we re-set the GPS to use Route 3. Then we decided to make a detour through Magnolia for lunch so the GPS recalculated to get us to our destination from our new location. Our roadtrip wasn't the most direct or the quickest, but we arrived on time and in good shape.  

     If this trip doesn't describe our spiritual lives toward the holiness of Christ, I don't know what does. Accepting Christ means we know where we'll end up, but will have our own story about how we got there.  Sometimes I feel like I'm spinning my wheels or going in circles. At moments I feel so off the grid I wonder whether or not I can get back on track.    Then there's YOU - you seem to have it together, you seem to know how to handle the mountains, the swift rivers, the desert sections of the journey. YOU seem to be always ahead of me or off on some adventure while I'm changing my tire or getting pulled out of a ditch.
     My route might only cross yours occasionally and your route may seem more direct than mine, but we're still going to end up at the same destination of Christlike if we keep moving forward in Christ.  If I see you resting in a meadow by still waters while I'm wandering in the desert, it could be you've found a temporary oasis in your own desert leg of the journey. If you see me doing a victory dance on top of a mountain you conquered years ago, give me a thumbs up and smile.  
     God - in His complex, loving, efficient God-mind - designs a "best" route for each of us Our ETAs may vary, but our God is the same faithful, strong God Who leads us always toward His holiness from our current location.

   

“Because Your love is faithful,

You will lead the people You have set free.

Because You are so strong,

You will guide them to the holy place where You live."

Exodus 15:13

A Dog's Life

"You hold me by my right hand.
You give me wise advice to guide me.
And when I die, you will take me away
into the glory of heaven." 
Psalm 73:24

     The Bible doesn't say whether or not dogs go to heaven, but if there's a snowball's chance they do, I know one who should be there now. Our Westie-Maltese, Little Mac, was a better being than me. He was unquestioningly loyal, over-the-top friendly, unconditionally loving, eager to please, great with people of all ages, smart as a whip, and always nearby for cuddling and for comfort.  He barked only until he knew we were ok with the noises he heard. He cleaned up under the table and counters. He was a world-class greeter for us and a guardian for our cat, Sonny, and intervened when a neighborhood cat threatened. He was a back-warmer who loved socializing with his people and their people.  And, he managed all these wonderful qualities with a dog's I.Q., no poseable thumbs and no verbal language skills.
      I don't measure up to a dog's life, yet God promises me heaven. If dogs were smart enough to understand the future, they might revolt.  But we humans know just enough to be dangerously un-Christlike.  We withhold kindness because we've heard too many bad endings. We think through good intentions until we've missed the opportunity for a random act of kindness. We fear need too much to be generous and we disdain imperfection too much to be loyal. Many of us have been hurt too deeply to love again or to love well, and we can be too cowardly to guard other people's reputations. Some of us are too lazy to be helpful and too self-consumed to care. What we need are better ears to hear the Spirit and a quicker response time so we don't depend on our eyes to be our guides.  
"We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us." 
1 Corinthians 13:12

Lord, my dog has put me to shame. Help me live a life worthy of Your calling.  Fill me with Your love and the desire to be Christlike for Your Name's sake. Make me sensitive to where I'm needed and willing for You to use me. Thank You for creating dogs, God, because they express Your love to us as well as anyone or anything can.
In the Name of Jesus, the Good Shepherd Who died for some unappreciative sheep

More American As Apple Pie

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; 

give thanks to Him and praise His name." 

Psalm 100:4

     A friend's daughter who's studying abroad recently commented on her Facebook wall that it felt strange to have no Thanksgiving Day before the Christmas season hit full force the day after Halloween. I would have to agree.     Thanksgiving Day is an exclusively American holiday I hope we never skip or relocate to another month since our gratitude is the prelude and benediction to the miracles God offers us at Christmas. Notice how thanksgiving ties into both glorifying God and our salvation in Psalm 50:23 and the story of the Ten Lepers.   

"The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;  

to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!” Psalm 50:23

 

"And it came to pass, as they were on their way to Jerusalem, that He was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee. And as He entered into a certain village, there met Him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off: [humility of separation from people]

and they lifted up their voices, saying, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.' [humility of need and desperation]


And when He saw them, He said unto them, 'Go and show yourselves unto the priests.' And it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed. [humility of obedience]

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, with a loud voice glorifying God; [humility of recognizing God alone could heal].

and he fell upon his face at His feet, giving Him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. [humility of recognizing Jesus as God, Jesus as the source of his healing - in SPITE of his race and previous "outcast" status; humility of worship and thanksgiving]

And Jesus answering said, 'Were not the ten cleansed? but where are the nine? Were there none found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger?' And He said unto him, 'Arise, and go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.'"  (Luke 17:11-19, American Standard Version)

     Ten were healed but only the thankful one was made whole from skin to soul. He recognized Jesus as God the Giver and himself as the humble recipient. The one who gives thanks as a sacrifice both glorifies and receives God. Come before God with thanksgiving and be made whole.

Father, thank You for a season of thanksgiving to remind of from Whom all our blessings flow.  Thank You for time to reflect on Who You are and how You give and heal and make whole.  We're broken and shattered, but sacrificing thanks to You in our brokenness  leads to wholeness. Strengthen us to praise You with a loud voice.  Open our eyes to see the many ways You give and provide.  May we be the ones who fall at Your feet in praise, worship and thanksgiving.

Inspired by One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp