Remember Your BUT

October 9, 2019

DAILY READINGS

Psalm 137
Lamentations 5:1-22
Mark 11:12-14, 20-24
This weekend’s scripture:Proverbs 29:17

FIELD NOTES

Lamentations is a tough book to read.  It is so emotionally raw, the grief is so transparent, the pain so honest, that it sometimes feels too voyeuristic and inappropriate to keep reading. 

Typically, we Americans are not used to reading laments.  We all know Psalm 23 (The Lord is our shepherd I shall not want) but how many of us are as familiar with Psalm 22 (My God my God why have you forsaken me) that precedes it? 

What’s interesting about laments is that there is always a BUT.  A turning point in which the author reminds themselves of truth, or declares what they hope is true, or writes out what they experienced to evidential become their new truth.

So, in Lamentation 5, after 18 verses of over-descriptive pain and suffering, we arrive at verse 19: But you, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations.  Now verse 20 jumps right back into the lament, but sometimes that’s all we need.  Just a taste of hope, a glimpse of beauty, a balm of mercy.

QUESTION FOR THE FIELD

• What was the truth that sustained you during a difficult time?
  

FAMILY FIELD TALK

• Sometimes God feels really close and sometimes God feels further away.  What do you tell yourself when God feels further away?