We’ll spend two weeks on the opening chapter of Part II: Learning to Lament
We need to not only learn to lament,
we need to learn from lament.
Why?
Indeed, is this what God is doing in our world right now? Rousing a deaf world? I think so. Though none of us know when the end will come, we do know it will come. I listened to a panel of experts on eschatology with John Piper, each of whom held a different view on when Jesus will come for us: before the tribulation, in the middle of it, or at the end of it. Though they disagreed on timing, they all agreed there would be a time of great suffering, that Jesus would literally come back, and that one day He would reign forever on the new heaven and new earth — and only true believers would live forever on that new heaven and new earth. Perhaps that is why Solomon tells us:
It is better to go into the house of mourning than the house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man, and the living should take this to heart.
(Ecclesiastes 7:2)
I know for me it has been a time of soul-searching, more honest repentance, and, amazingly, a time when I’ve had a deeper sense of the presence of God. I do believe He heard our prayers for what to study at this time, and that Mark Vroegop’s book, Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy is a treasure, but so are each of you, and what you bring. One comment our own Dawn made was that she was truly getting to know you through your laments. Laments help us drop our masks and get so real! To be naked in Scripture is to be known, and we are becoming known to one another.
Welcome to Those Just Joining for Lamentations!
So glad to have you! We have just finished learning to lament from the psalms, but you’ll catch on if this is new to you. The lament is the way God gave us to pray when we are suffering. There are four parts:
- You turn to God (instead of backing away)
- You complain! (Yes — He knows what you are feeling anyhow — so tell Him.)
- You are still and listen to Him. You ask a question. You remember His character.
- You resolve to trust Him.
I do recommend you get Mark’s book, but even if you don’t, you will get much out of this. This week, if you don’t have Mark’s book, I’ve put the questions you will be able to answer in red.
All you need to do is make a comment and put in your name and e-mail (the e-mail will not be seen.) The first time you comment I need to approve you — but then you just hop on. Sometimes I have to approve you again if you put a link or some kind of alarm goes up — but usually not.
Welcome, welcome!
Highlights from Last Week
Here are just 4 from last week that not only sum up where we’ve been,
but prepare us for where we are going, into the deep book of Lamentations.
Mary:
I recently read Brennan Manning’s book, The Furious Longing of God. In it, he issues a 30-day challenge to pray “Abba, Father, I belong to You.” Today, when I prayed that, I broke down and wept. I can’t explain why, but it acted like a thunderstorm, coming out of nowhere and yet clearing the air. I think lament is like that; a clearing of the air between us and God. But if we don’t move beyond the complaint and ask, we stay in the storm and miss the rainbow promise of His presence.
Denise:
I have always loved the way the sky looks when a storm is coming our way…especially those magnificent wall clouds! I do not view them particularly as dangerous or something to fear. But in my life, the metaphorical dark gigantic clouds cause me to tremble not knowing how it will impact me. But now I can view them framing them as full of God’s blessings. As my mother had said many times when she was alive, “The darkest times have always been the sweetest times with Jesus.”
Diane:
The phrase “the clouds which you so dread are rich with mercy and shall break with blessings on your head”. I woke in the middle of the night last night with cold feet and could not get back to sleep with thoughts of scary news and fears of doom swirling about me. In these days of chaos throughout the world and close to home, it is hard NOT to fear. Our only hope is in our mysterious God who is “rich with mercy” and will make things right. This morning I am tired, oh SO tired. Aren’t we all? We must cry for mercy and repent for we have “gone our own way” but God has laid on Jesus the punishment for our sins! “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”(Isaiah 53:6) Thank you, LORD.
Nila: Here is a resource of 9 short videos from Michael Card on the Lament.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr3mNGtxd-I&list=PLFv4y-PVQCXA29Ypy_B4usO7LyBOBnTFr
If you don’t have a book yet, answer questions in red.
Sunday:
- What stands out to you from the above and why?
- What lessons have you learned from “the house of mourning?”
Monday: Opening of Chap. 5: A Broken World & A Holy God
3. Read up to Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why.
4. Read Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why.
5. Read Never Forget
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- What is the historical setting of Lamentations 1 & 2?
- What is the acrostic nature of these two chapters meant to show us?
- Take one example of suffering from the following and share something you learned that you do not want to forget:
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- What is a historical example of suffering that stands out to you and a lesson learned we should not forget? (holocaust, slavery, a plague, a war…)
- What is a personal example of suffering that stands out to you and a lesson learned you should not forget?
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Tuesday: Read Lamentations 1
Prepare your heart with this psalm, which was sung after God’s people have lost Jerusalem and had been taken captive to Babylon. Music by Jason Silver. This is a shocking imprecatory Psalm — indeed, though we are to forgive and not to call vengeance down upon our enemies, we are also to voice our honest feelings to God, and then, as Mary said, move beyond that to trust.
(A story that may give you some comic relief in all of this, is when I mistakingly autographed a young woman’s book with Psalm 137:9, meaning Psalm 37:9 for she had just told me of an injustice done to her family. She, fortunately, came back to me and asked, “Why would you pray that my little ones be dashed against the rocks?” I was aghast and so thankful she came and asked!)
6. Read through all of Lamentations 1 slowly. Many pictures are painted to describe the pain.
Find a few that speak to you and, if possible, explain why.
7. Though Babylon was the enemy that besieged Jerusalem for 3 years and took people captive,
who is behind all this according to verse 5? Does it astonish you that God would do this to His
own? Why or why not?
Wednesday: A Broken World
8. In the book, read the section: Lamentations 1 & 2.
A. How is Jerusalem portrayed in verse 1?
B. What is the big question, as identified by Pastor Mark, in this opening chapter?
9. Read Broken by Sin
A. What pictures from Lamentations 1 does Pastor Mark point out the horror of sin?
B. Can you find any others in Lamentations 1?
C. How has a specific sin of yours brought pain and destruction? Can you lament it here?
10. Memorials, like the Holocaust Museum, can help us remember the weight of sin. Have you
visited any, and if so, how have they impacted you?
Thursday: Our False Lovers
11. Many of you have done studies on idolatry, perhaps my book, Idol Lies. If so, how are
our idols like false lovers?
12. Read the section: A Turning to God and share what stands out to you.
13. Read Hebrews 12:25-29
A. What warning are we given in verse 25?
B. What is God’s purpose in shaking our world according to verses 27-28?
C. How has God shaken your world in the last 4 months, and what have you learned?
Friday: Reflection Questions
14. Look at questions 1 through 4 and take two to answer.
15. Read through Lamentations 1 again and share anything that becomes radioactive.
Saturday:
16. What is your take-a-way and why?
192 comments
Sunday:
1. What stands out to you from the above and why?
Dee, first of all, where can I find the John Piper broadcast about eschatology? I would like to listen to it sometime as well. Is that available to the public?
Second, I agree with Dawn. I am getting to know more each of the ladies here because of their laments. What a blessing to be sharpened by all of you here. It is a tough sharpening but oh I so need it. I have had concerns about continuing here due to time constraints brought about by my busy schedule at school and at church. But I have committed myself to the grace of God to keep being involved here. I have to give up a few things to make it work but this blog is so worth it and like you, Dee, I have sensed a deeper walk with God buoyed by the testimony of the ladies here and the faithfulness of God in walking with each one.
Third, I appreciate the highlights of the 4 ladies:
The prayer from Manning’s book, “Abba, Father, I belong to you”, Denise calling the dark clouds magnificent, those same clouds being rich in mercy from Diane and the link to Michael Card’s videos on Lament from Nila. I just watched the first one and it was like “blessings over my head” at this time of darkening clouds in my life.
Welcome to the new ladies who are joining us!
2. What lessons have you learned from “the house of mourning?”
The “house of mourning” for me is a reality and a heart check. Ultimately, I will leave this earth. I need to mourn my sins daily and receive comfort from God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ. And through the mourning of my sins, I am made aware of how high and how deep and wide God’s love is for me.
Here is the link — I can’t say that it clarified much for me, but I liked what they did agree on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W75bzrvJtLs
Thank you, Dee. I will bookmark it and watch it someday soon!
We had a good discussion about end times at church. Our pastor made the very good point that since the time (pre trib, mid trib, post trib, a millenial) is so unclear it must not be that important. The Pharisees were very concerned about the time — we just need to be ready. I find it all rather confusing and even upsetting to watch.
Bing, loved your #2 answer, “reality and heart check…mourn my sins daily and receive comfort from God.” WOW.
I love this Bing “And through the mourning of my sins, I am made aware of how high and how deep and wide God’s love is for me.”-beautiful reminder of the purpose of lament–it leads to a greater awareness of His love.
Thank you Ernema, for your commitment to this group. I for one appreciate your insights and presence. 🙂
I LOVED this: “The “house of mourning” for me is a reality and a heart check”
Hoping to be a bit more disciplined in summer study. Is this all online or do I have to master zoom? haha
All online. Wonderful to have you, my dear friend.
Deb, welcome!
Welcome, Deb
I’m a first timer on this site. However, I first met Dee over 46 yrs ago at a Bible study in Ohio. My special memory during that season was praying for her with the other ladies from our group that she would have a baby girl. What marvelous answer to prayer! I look forward to what God is teaching through this study in Lamentations.
Becky! I’m thrilled to see you here!!!!
Welcome Becky! What a sweet memory of our dear Dee you shared!
Becky, welcome!
Welcome Becky, so glad you have joined us.
Welcome, Becky!
1. What stands out to you from the above and why?
Thank you for the review of the four steps of lamenting to God. I need them again and again. The one that, to me, is the most important is step number one: turning to God instead of backing away. I think of how much time I waste in playing hide and seek with God. I also can relate to Mary’s comment from last week about her experience with Manning’s book, a sort of clearing the air between her and God. The same thing happened to me recently as I am reading In Good Company by James Martin SJ. It’s the story of how he left the corporate world to become a Jesuit priest, and his ‘religious’ education had stopped when he quit CCD classes around age ten. One of his first ‘assignments’ as a Jesuit novitiate was to spend some time thinking about who God was. Martin initially came up with a list of God’s attributes, hoping it would be sufficiently correct. But he found the assignment a bit tedious. When he met with his spiritual director the next day, he gave his answers and admitted that it was hard to focus when he made the list, and wondered out loud if he was “cut out to be a Jesuit”. His director told him to try again, and to relax, and not try to concentrate too hard. And to think about this for a bit: Who is Jesus? So Martin, the next day, sat outside on the grass and was just enjoying the day when very unexpectedly, he heard….friend. He wrote: “Wow, Jesus is a friend. I had never thought about it like that before. And it made me happy to think about Jesus in that way. It would be great to be with Jesus, to have Him accompany me, to be able to rely on Him as I would rely on a good friend.”
Reading that brought tears to my eyes. I needed that reminder. Often, I feel as if God is somehow disappointed with me, or He feels distant and I can think of “who” He is, like He is the Creator, All-Powerful, etc…. but reading Father Jim’s words zoomed in the focus on the very personal nature of Jesus as a friend who accompanies me through life; a companion. How does that relate to lamenting? Well, why wouldn’t I go to my friend when I’m hurting?
2. What lessons have you learned from “the house of mourning”?
Are you referring to the above quote from Ecclesiastes? “It is better to go into the house of mourning than the house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man, and the living should take this to heart.” I can say that the older I get (soon to be 56) I think more about how I have much less life ahead of me than the years that are behind me. I think the key is to “take this to heart”. I have learned to ponder and set my priorities on what are the things in life that are really important? When I was younger, for example, I may have been more caught up in our culture’s focus on ‘preserving youthfulness’. Not that I don’t like to look my best, but that can be taken too far. It might only make me a really impressive looking corpse one day. It reminds me to think about what am I doing that will count for eternity, or am I wasting too much time on things that don’t really matter? What are even small gestures that I can make to show others how loved they are? The other week at work, taking time to brush a patient’s dentures was a small act that I could do. Wouldn’t I want someone to care about if my teeth and mouth were clean? It’s not being dour and sad all the time, but taking some time to do a sober self-assessment of what kind of a person am I becoming, how am I spending my time, how am I treating those closest to me?
Oh, Susan! I smiled when I read about you brushing someone’s dentures. We, nurses, love even the most mundane things. Me- I like doing feet! My students think I am crazy! I love your reflective self assessment-what kind of person am I becoming?
Bing, sometimes I wish I could just answer call lights, give baths, and feed patients, and leave the other stuff to somebody else!
I,too, love your comment about self-assessment and the kindness of caring for someone’s teeth. Only a nurse could identify- haha!
Susan, I agree with setting our priorities as our years become less that are in front. I did this after my sister passed away. I don’t want to waste my life not having it fulfilled with meaning. I want to be around family and friends and not worry too much about the things that are not of God. Not sure if this makes sense at all, but I definitely look at things differently now.
Susan – loved your story about from Good Company about Jesus as a friend.
Susan, you spoke to my heart this morning. The part about the important things in our lives. I strive to be fit and ready to dance (for Him), but it IS a battle for sure. Sometimes I wonder if I am misguided in thinking that my purpose here in earth is to bring joy and worship to those who I encounter in dance? If so, why would it be so hard for me? Sometimes it doesn’t come naturally at all. It is disappointing. Or maybe I should re-evaluate my thoughts about being a dancer. Maybe I should just let the mind lead instead of the body? Not forget the body entirely (because then I couldn’t dance), but not try to strive for the perfect dance body and waste time. Not sure but thanks for making me think!
Now you’ve got me thinking, Laura….I have seen you dance when you’ve shared a video with us on our FB group, and I think you are amazing….graceful, flowing, and much more flexible than me! I’m sure you need to be in good shape to do those dance moves, or at least it’s easier to do them when you’re in good shape. I wonder if you see your body as a vessel that He has filled up with this gift of dancing, and when you are full (and fulfilled) in Him, you let your ‘vessel’ pour out your offering of dance as worship to Him. You have His approval and pleasure whether you execute every move flawlessly or not, whether it flows naturally one day and not so much the next. I imagine it’s the same for those with the gift of writing for Him. Some days, the words come furiously and can’t be typed or written fast enough, and then other days, nothing. No ideas, stuck. That’s when you need to breathe, and maybe let it go for that day, but not feel disappointed with yourself. You are always loved, that never changes.
Susan, I love your thoughtful posts and today your punch of humor … “Not that I don’t like to look my best, but that can be taken too far. It might only make me a really impressive looking corpse one day.”. What a picture! “Man looks on the outside but God looks on the heart.” We need to take heart “what kind of a person am I becoming, how am I spending my time, how am I treating those closest to me?”
1. What stands out from the above and why?
Laments help us drop our masks and get so real! To be naked in Scripture is to be known, and we are becoming known to one another.
Because in brokenness we can have true fellowship with each other.
Loved this Nila, “Because in brokenness we can have true fellowship with each other. “
Do love this post, Nila, and in brokenness we can have true fellowship
Thank you Nila for sharing the videos of Michael Card’s teaching on Lament. I am enjoying them.
Sunday:
1. What stands out to you from the above and why? – I loved the quote from C.S. Lewis, “Pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Wow this was eye opening. There is so much pain right now in this world, so much anger. The pain I feel with seeing so much anger is troubling. The bitterness, oh my. I love the highlights that you pick Dee, they bring so much back to me on what I may have missed from the week before. Thank you for the time you take from week to week to help us see the things of God.
2. What lessons have you learned from “the house of mourning?” It is better to go into the house of mourning than the house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man, and the living should take this to heart. (Ecclesiastes 7:2) – What comes to mind to me is that anyone can throw a part and appear to be having a good time, but the truth beauty to me is how people handle death. Though I know most people probably don’t want to die, those that know the Lord, at least have a peace knowing where they are going, that their life is not really over, it is just beginning. My oldest son’s friend was in college and on his way to youth group when he slid on icy roads and hit a tree, he died at the scene, how sad it was to see such a young man gone, but what amazed me was the line wrapped around the building of people waiting to get in side to say their good-byes and his parents, who I’m sure were heartbroken, used his death to help other kids, even to this day. They have set up a scholarship fund and give 5 kids each year since his death a chance to continue on with their studies. This showed me that we can take death and mourn and be sad, or we can use it to bring others to Christ, because that is the only way their lives will continue on after death.
Julie–such an inspiring testimony of how your friends allowed God to use their son’s tragic death to bring others to know true Life in Christ.
Love this story of your friends Julie. I hope I can bless others like this one day. Some sort of legacy to “bring others to Christ.”
I am looking forward to Lamentations. I have done a few of Dee’s studies and learned so much. I especially liked Idol Lies.
Welcome welcome Jeanne.
Jeanne, welcome!
Welcome to the group Jeanne. Glad to have you.
Welcome, Jeanne
Glad you are here with us!
Glad you’re here, Jeanne!
3. Read up to Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why.
I have never really studied the book of Lamentations. I am looking forward to it.
The songs of sorrow in the Bible were there to remind Gods people of their past pain. I don’t consider pain a good thing. It hurts! I don’t want to have pain in my life. But, these people turned it around and made it a good thing to have; to remember as a memorial of sorts, and not “go there” again. It’s really one of the reasons I so disagree with all the statue removal and name changes and such America is experiencing, from some groups, as we speak. If you whitewash your history then future generations do not understand or know what transpired so they avoid it again. Although the Holocaust was horrific, we definitely need to be reminded so that THAT never happens again.
Suffering at every level is an opportunity to learn. I suppose if we twist the logic of pain being a “good” thing then we can rest in the fact that we will learn something from it as we go through it. Ugh though! I haven’t wanted to admit how stressful it is to be raising two toddlers at my age (56). I have tried to just take it as it comes and make them part of my life. However, it is hard. There I said it out loud. I am exhausted, they are demanding, I am not so good with discipline, YET, they are precious, they are kind, they are funny. They need us, and maybe we need them too? I learned from the pain of raising four of our own kids, so this time shouldn’t be so bad.
Laura, you inspire me! You do so much in your family and community and job! May God give you added endurance and strength.
Thank you for your honesty Laura. I can only imagine the beauty and blessing of caring for your those babes but also the difficulty of being a mom again to littles.
Oh Laura, I don’t like pain either. I am so inspired by your faithfulness in the blog with all you have to do.
My daughter is near to your age, raised 4 kids and is raising a 2 year old, yes, what a hard, but blessed task. Toddlers do bring joy along with the exhausting work of keeping up with their antics.
Laura, praying for the Lord to restore your strength so you can find the peace and joy in this lesson he has you in right now. Though I am not raising my grandkids, I sure do find that they can make a sad day in to one of joy just by what they say and do.
Laura, I believe you just lamented! “However, it is hard. There, I said it out loud. I am exhausted, they are demanding, I am not so good with discipline.” It’s okay to “say it out loud”! Raising two toddlers is exhausting and hard….I am almost 56, too, and know I don’t have the energy I did a couple of decades ago. Then I love your “turn”….YET, they are precious….
Laura:
I remember reading the book “Pain: The Gift Nobody Wants” by Phillip Yancey and Paul Brand. Brand is a medical doctor and wrote about his experiences with people with Hansen’s disease, also known as leprosy. Because their pain cells were deadened, they inadvertently would sustain horrible disfigurement as they were not aware of harm without the warning signal of pain. It gave me a different perspective.
What stands out to you from the above and why? The phrase that we need to not only learn to lament but learn from lament. I think I can get so bogged down in the emotions of lament, in the sadness, and sorrow that I don’t always take the time to take a bigger picture evaluation of the situation. The what is God showing me and teaching me in this season.
What lessons have you learned from “the house of mourning?” I have learned that God may not immediately change my circumstances, but He can give me the strength to endure. I have learned that in the same season there can be great sorrow and rich blessing. I have learned that some pain goes so deep, and brings such great damage, that only God can heal only God can speak into those places. I have learned that I don’t have to have the answers, that being there, just being present, can be comfort. I have learned that I don’t have to have the answers for my questions, that sometimes I can only lean on faith and the trust the God who gives and takes away.
Tammy, how very, very poetic and beautiful, your sharing what you’ve learned. Thank you for them.
Thank you Mary. 😊
1. What stood out in the intro for this week?Three things. First, that God is speaking to us. We know in our heads from the Bible that He is always doing so, but we so little listen. Right now, we have to work at ignoring Him, which is such a sorrow to see many doing. But we also have to work hard at understanding what it is that He is saying. This study looks to be very helpful for that!
Second, that picture of the storm with the rainbow – WOW! What a perfect picture for us.
And then third, how we are becoming known to each other in vulnerability. I want to send each of you a big hug along with my gratitude. I have wanted a group like this for years.
Love the Velveteen Rabbit analogy.
3. Read up to Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why. What stood out to me is the stark reality and view death gives us and how the pastor he quotes in the book gave permission to his listeners to be genuinely grieved at the loss and ugliness of death and loss.
4. Read Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why. What stands out to me is that lament can retune our hearts, help us to see what’s underneath our life, what foundations we truthfully have built our lives on and our own motivations and purposes of how we live our lives. It can help us to love better and deeper.
5. Read Never Forget
A. What is the historical setting of Lamentations 1 & 2? It was written by the prophet Jeremiah to reflect upon the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The land was filled with spiritual rebellion. Babylon staged a three year siege of Jerusalem eventually taking the capitol and burning the temple and tearing down the walls. Taking everything of value and making everyone who survived slaves and captives.
B. What is the acrostic nature of these two chapters meant to show us? According to the author its to show us sort of the A to Z, the fullness of their suffering.
2. What lessons have you learned from “the house of mourning”? Mourning is the place of reality. The “house of feasting”, while much more fun, is often full of pretending, and consequently rarely builds closeness. It makes me think of the Velveteen Rabbit. Becoming Real means suffering and loss, but is so worth it because of love.
3. Intro to the chapter. What stands out?
The quote, “I shall look at the world through tears. Perhaps I shall see things that dry eyed I could not see.” Our way of seeing is changed when we’ve been through lament. Lament is a prism through which we see a path of growth. It is usually a path we not only wouldn’t have seen, but if seen, we would have rejected for ourselves. That is until we have other things stripped away from us. And, a funeral serves as reorientation to the brokenness that lies beneath all our lives. We know that everyone dies, and that everyone suffers, but we still go on acting like it isn’t going to happen to us. We need the reorientation.
Mary I agree, that when we have been through something we have a different perspective on it when others go through it as well.
Mary,
Your comment on reorientation remind me of a book entitled Praying the Psalms by Walter Brueggemann.
It is a wonderful companion to applying the language of the Psalms to our disoriented lives and calling on the Lord to reorient us.
Quoting from page 14 of this little book:
“The collection of the Psalter is not for those whose life is one of uninterrupted continuity and equilibrium. Such people should stay safely in the book of Proverbs, which reflects on the continuities of life. But few of us live that kind of life. Most of us who think our lives are that way have been numbed, desensitized, and suppressed so that we are cut off from what is in fact going on in our lives.
The Psalms are an assurance to us that when we pray and worship, we are not expected to censure or deny the deepness of our own human pilgrimage. Rather, we are expected to submit it openly and trustingly so that it can be brought to eloquent and passionate speech addressed to the Holy One.”
Nila, thanks for the quote. No wonder we love the Psalms!
4. Section on shock and awe. What stands out?
The fact that we can savor life better for awareness of lament. When I worked hospice, we often told people that a terminal illness could be a blessing, because it gave people a chance to do all the really important relational things. When people would ask how we could do that work, we would answer that it helped us live a lot more grateful and intentional. Also, as believers, we should be able to walk through sorrow while connecting it all to the bigger picture of God and the gospel. It really helps me to remember that my story is just a very small part, and God is doing a bigger thing.
5. Section on never forget. #1). The historical setting of Lamentations 1-2. Jeremiah wrote it after having endured the rebellion, the siege and the total destruction of Jerusalem. He had tried to turn his nation back to God, and from earthly eyes, had not succeeded.
#2). Using an acrostic format, Mark says, was meant to emphasize the suffering from A to Z. It was a way of memorializing the message behind the happenings.
#3). The suffering lesson I don’t want to forget. One of my favorite Proverbs is 14:1. The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands, the foolish one tears hers down. The first years of my marriage, I was the foolish woman. By the very fact of not building, I was inadvertently tearing down. In four years time, I had five pregnancies, three miscarriages, and two colicky babies 16 months apart. Those are not excuses for my behavior, only facts. In my own near sightedness, I wasn’t trying to meet my husband’s needs or even care about what was happening with him. When we went through what I call our ‘whitewater time’, I woke up to the growth that needed to happen in me, as well as between us. That time is now 35 years behind us, but I never want to forget that I have the opportunity to build my marriage and also that God can use that time of extreme pain to help others.
Mary – thanks for sharing on your #3. I appreciate that you name this your “whitewater time” – what a great, vivid picture.
Mary, thank you for your honesty in your answer about your “whitewater time”. It was mature of you to see where you needed to grow, as well as the two of you in your marriage.
Mary I appreciate what you wrote here, and I have a question. I think I also had an experience where I felt like I was raising 4 kids and it was all I could do. My husband was working all the time and I too, was guilty of not meeting his needs or even cognizant of his being. I’m in the midst of another similar situation with the grandkids. How did you pull away from the colicky babies to meet another need? What can I do to help my husband have more of my time? I find it very difficult to manage it all.
Laura, I did a really lousy job at the time, hence our whitewater. Looking back, what I would do differently is to change my attitude. Primarily about what ‘needed to get done’, how it was done, and hang on to the fact that it wasn’t going to last forever. I would have communicated better both about my needs, and finding out about his. I would have been kinder to myself for not being everything I thought I needed to be. I would have gotten a sitter regularly, so that I could get some rest. I went 2.5 years with only four nights of uninterrupted sleep… not a good thing for thinking clearly or meeting the needs of others. Father, I lift up Laura before You because, with many tears in my eyes, I feel her pain. It is like being in the wine press. It is easy to know in your head some of the answers, but living them out is so hard. Please, Lord, grant her rest that renews and strengthens her. Give her Your perspective on what her life needs to look like, and how to get there. Give her Your words as she communicates with those around her. Be her Rock of refuge. Be her Tower of strength. Be her hope and her firm foundation. Amen.
Thank you Mary.
What stands out to me is CS Lewis’ quote: Pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world. Oh yes, we have been in our own little world before March, and now we are in that attention mode. There is pain and other negative moods ever since. We must kneel before the Lord our Maker. To repent, to lament and to pray and trust.
2. What lesson have you learned? I think that Mark has given me a great lesson. Lament leads us to a place of worship. This was an unexpected path for me.
I am awed at the way a group of sisters lifts each other up for a prayer of lament for a place of pain.
3. The introduction to Lamentations: God intends to teach us through pain. This is a book I have never studied and I hope to learn the lessons that God has for us through pain. I could identify with the story of the funeral of the man with Alzheimers’, as my Mother passed after this suffering. The pastor’s message was unique. He said, “the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning.”
Monday: Opening of Chap. 5: A Broken World & A Holy God
3. Read up to Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why. – I am interested to see where this chapter goes…”We not only need to learn to lament; we also need to learn from lament.” I was thinking we lament to God and then sit and wait for him to respond, but I’m thinking now we need to learn as we sit and wait for Him to move. I also liked when he said “Lament is not merely an expression of sorrow; it is a memorial.” When I think of a memorial, I think of a time to reflect on something or someone. This makes me feel that I need to dig deeper in to my sorrow and pain as I’m going through it.
4. Read Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why. – I agree so much with Mark saying that lament can retune our hearts. I have been there and have done that with my sisters passing. When something so unexpected happens, a new reality sets in. It definitely makes you think in a different way. I’m so glad that I know the biblical plan of creation, the fall, redemption and restoration. I’m so glad that the Lord chose me and will help me through these times of sorrow. There is hope for us that believe in Him. I’m sadden for those that don’t know Him, how can they even get through a sorrow or trial without him.
5. Read Never Forget
What is the historical setting of Lamentations 1 & 2? – It was written so the generations would not forget the destruction that came to Jerusalem in 586 BC. The writer, Jeremiah, wanted everyone to remember the dark times in Israel’s history. It was when Israel was divided into two kingdoms, Israel was considered the northern kingdom and Judah was the southern kingdom. Neither kingdom learned from the warnings and both rebelled.
What is the acrostic nature of these two chapters meant to show us? – It is to show us the destruction of Jerusalem from the beginning to the end. It is to help us to not only vocalize the pain we are going through, but to also bring to light the message beneath our struggles.
Take one example of suffering from the following and share something you learned that you do not want to forget:
What is a historical example of suffering that stands out to you and a lesson learned we should not forget? (holocaust, slavery, a plague, a war…)
What is a personal example of suffering that stands out to you and a lesson learned you should not forget? – For me my personal struggle that was the hardest was as a single mom to two young boys. I didn’t always know how I was going to make ends meet, but as I look back I guess when I cried out to him I was in a sense lamenting back then. I cried at times, felt I couldn’t handle one more thing without losing it, but through all the years, God was there with me. He gave me enough of a glimpse of light, to know it was Him that was providing and that I didn’t need to worry. My lesson in it all was that it didn’t just end in a year, I struggled for 10 years, but God provided everything we needed in those 10 years. He taught me that I can cry out to him and he will hear me, I just needed to wait on him to provide and not stress out over it. A lesson that has helped me many times since. Thank you Lord for that lesson.
Julie – I so agree with your #4. I, too, am so thankful God has chosen me to be part of His family and I am so thankful for this forum in which we do get to share our stories, sorrows, triumphs, and hope!
Sunday
1. What stands out to you from the above and why?
”We need to not only learn to lament, but we need to learn from lament.” Growth happens when we learn. I had a dear friend who passed from leukemia several years ago who always said to me whenever I was struggling with something, what do you think God is trying to teach you?
2. What lessons have you learned from the “house of mourning?’
I have learned that the house of mourning draws me to God. It’s where I find myself totally dependent upon Him because He’s the only one who really understands.
Sunday
1. What stands out and why?
The recap of the 4 parts of the lament prayer – thank you for listing it out, Dee. I also just finished a book titled . . . and yet, undaunted – Embraced by the Goodness of God in the Chaos of Life by Paula Rinehart & Connally Gilliam. I “happened to stumble” upon this study of lament and that book at about the same time and have been surprised at how beautifully they compliment each other. I am thankful the Lord has brought this group together – at this time, in all of the unrest and chaos of our lives, to embrace one another and lift each other up in prayer. Thank you for the prayer chair – though I’ve not been quite brave enough to go there, I am praying for those who have.
2. Lessons from the house of mourning:
Eccl 7:2 ” It is better to go into the house of mourning than the house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man, and the living should take this to heart.”
The Message Bible says, “You learn more at a funeral than at a feast – after all, that’s where we’ll end up. We might discover something from it.”
How should we/I then live? Am I living a life that is pleasing the Lord? Am I wasting opportunities that are right in front of me? Am I fragrant aroma or am I noisy gong or clanging cymbal?
I love the song by Frances Ridley Havergal, “Take My Life and Let It Be” –
Take my life, and let it beConsecrated, Lord, to Thee;Take my moments and my days,Let them flow in ceaseless praise,Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them moveAt the impulse of Thy love;Take my feet and let them beSwift and beautiful for Thee,Swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice, and let me singAlways, only, for my King;Take my lips, and let them beFilled with messages from Thee,Filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold;Not a mite would I withhold;Take my intellect, and useEvery power as Thou shalt choose,Every power as Thou shalt choose.
Take my will, and make it Thine;It shall be no longer mine.Take my heart; it is Thine own;It shall be Thy royal throne,It shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love; my Lord, I pourAt Thy feet its treasure-store.Take myself, and I will beEver, only, all for Thee,Ever, only, all for Thee.
Love that hymn Karmen! Thanks for reminding me 😉.
💖
I’ve always liked Paula Rinehart — didn’t know about the book you mentioned though!
What is the historical setting of Lamentations 1 & 2?
The prophet Jeremiah wrote the book after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. He wanted the people to never forget what happened. After the reigns of David and Solomon, two kingdoms develop, one in the north (Israel) and one in the south (Judea). The northern kingdom is troubled and is run by wicked kings and is finally conquered by the Assyrians. Prophets had warned them to turn back to God, but they had not listened. The land was filled with injustice, idolatry, immorality and corruption. The southern kingdom ignored what was happening and followed suit. The Babylonians sieged the city and the people were starved. Those who survived were enslaved. The city was smoldering at the end.
What is the acrostic nature of these two chapters meant to show us?
Lamentations is poetry (yuck – but I am interested since I hardly know anything about this book) and the first letter of each verse represents a successive character of the Hebrew alphabet. Jeremiah wants the suffering known in detail. It is to “…emphasize the comprehensive nature of Jerusalem’s destruction.”
Take one example of suffering from the following and share something you learned that you do not want to forget:
What is a historical example of suffering that stands out to you and a lesson learned we should not forget? (holocaust, slavery, a plague, a war…)
I definitely think the Holocaust and WWII are two things we should never forget and should strive to avoid at all costs. The lesson learned would be to not be fooled by someone who has hatred in their heart; to be able to recognize this characteristic early on so that the person does not become powerful and able to become a dictator, thereby harming others with no recourse.
What is a personal example of suffering that stands out to you and a lesson learned you should not forget?
Having children has been a suffering of sorts for me. I have been given a second chance with the grandkids and am changing some things up a bit. Lesson learned is that you can take a kid to do things at church, but that doesn’t mean they will love or know Jesus. One thing is that we go to church as we did with our kids, but in the case of the grandkids, we talk about Jesus more and pray more, and they know I do bible study. We read stories in the children’s Bible too. We are trying to make it more a part of their everyday lives.
That’s so important with kids, Laura. Church or Christian schooling aren’t substitutes for parents, or in your case, and I so applaud you, grandparents.
Laura, I love how you are incorporating Jesus, prayer and the Bible into the kids lives. How sweet that is for them and you I’m sure.
Oh Laura – you made me laugh 😀 when you said “poetry – yuck”!! I love your raw honesty and that you aren’t afraid to share your feelings with us.
I agree, too, that just because we take (took) our kids to church and had them in Christian school, that does not guarantee they’ll walk with the Lord as adults. I see where we could have done more while they were at home with us, like what you shared. Now looking back, I also have seen that even in the best of God-fearing, walking with the Lord families, that it all comes back to the one-on-one relationship with Jesus. Reminds that God doesn’t have grandkids. 😉
Karmen, I do like poetry that rhymes…hahaha!
5. Read Never Forget
A. What is the historical setting of Lamentations 1 & 2?
The setting is the destruction of the nation of Judah after it has forsaken God for a long time.
B. What is the acrostic nature of these two chapters meant to show us?
It is meant to show us the purpose behind the suffering and destruction of the nation.
C. Take one example of suffering from the following and share something you learned that you do not want to forget:
▪ What is a historical example of suffering that stands out to you and a lesson learned we should not forget? (holocaust, slavery, a plague, a war…)
I’m choosing the holocaust and I am sure there are many lessons to learn I will mention two. One of them is that God will always save a remnant of his people, even when they do not turn back to him. God has a long-range plan, that we do not see yet, to rescue and save his chosen people.
It is important that we as Christians pray for the salvation of the remnant of the Jewish people to turn back to God in repentance, for God to have mercy and open the eyes of those He loves.
Another lesson is the blindness of humans to blame each other and denigrate each other – one of the worst results of blame is genocides, such as the holocaust and also slavery. It seems unthinkable that anyone should blame another race of people for their own sins and to humiliate, mistreat and even eliminate them or enslave them; but it is sadly too common even today. We have seen it this year in North America in humbling and very sad ways through the murder of blacks and indigenous by the hand of police officers. This has resulted in months of protests in movements like Black Lives Matter.
Sadly, blaming the other cannot be fixed by humans. It is an issue of the heart that only turning to God can fix. I am not optimistic for the end results of these strident protests.
Diane and others who might be interested in more on the Holocaust, I had the opportunity to hear Eva Mozes Kor speak on all she went through at the Auschwitz death camp. Oh my goodness, what her and her twin sister and family went through. She was such a wonderful speaker and showed what true forgiveness really is. She passed away a year ago July 4 while on a speaking engagement. You may want to look her up, she was very interesting to listen to. It saddens me to know all the pain that came with the Holocaust.
Dee I don’t know if you remember, but you recommended Lilac Girls which is a historical fiction book on this same thing. Loved the book a lot.
6. Read through all of Lamentations 1 slowly. Many pictures are painted to describe the pain.
Find a few that speak to you and, if possible, explain why.
Images: widow – alone and abandoned; princess who becomes a slave; deer who cannot find food; Judah as grapes trodden in a winepress
The winepress image speaks to me a bit for the treading of the winepress is for a purpose. Wine is the result of the treading. God has a purpose in the suffering, though we often cannot see it now.
7. Though Babylon was the enemy that besieged Jerusalem for 3 years and took people captive, who is behind all this according to verse 5? Does it astonish you that God would do this to His own? Why or why not?
There are several verses that give the reasons for God’s allowing (even causing) Judah’s captivity.
vs. 5 “[because of] the multitude of her transgressions”
vs. 8 “Jerusalem sinned grievously; therefore she became filthy”
vs. 18 “The LORD is in the right, for I have rebelled against his word”
Severe suffering under the Lord’s hand is one of the mysteries of God I do not understand, yet I know this is what the Bible teaches. It is shocking and seems cruel, yet it seems that this is the only way to bring us back to God, a severe mercy. I have come to believe that God would not cause suffering unless there was no other way to bring us back to Him. Yet, I still cannot really comprehend it. As Psalm 51:4 says, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.” God is just; I submit to Him, though I do not understand.
Diane, your statement, “God has a purpose in the suffering, though we often cannot see it now ” is both true, and so comforting. Then also, “I have come to believe that God would not cause suffering unless there was no other way to bring us back to Him”. I agree. And sometimes I think we are collateral damage to the one or ones who need to come back. Like in Laura’s case, it is Sarah, but others are suffering also. Jeremiah suffered, but it was Judah that needed to come back. And ultimately, Christ suffered and it was all of us who needed to come back.
Mary,
I surely agree with your perceptive words here:
And sometimes I think we are collateral damage to the one or ones who need to come back.
Musician and author Michael Card who wrote Sacred Sorrow ~ The Lost Language of Lament has also composed songs of lament.
This one is called I Made the Man of Sorrows Sorry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wO5l8wgM2k
Nila, again, thank you for posting this link. Such a powerful song of lament. His line ‘I will not walk away from You’, and then in another place, ‘You do not walk away from me,’… that is the best thing!!
Nila – I have always loved Michael Card. You remind and inspire me to look more closely at his work. Thank you. 🙂
6. Pictures of pain in Lamentations 1.
Verse 6 all the splendor has departed… all the good reasons for the nation to be esteemed were gone. Not just the physical buildings or the social status, but the values and morals and integrity.
Verse 9 her filthiness clings to her skirts, she did not consider her future. Her fall was astounding; there was none to comfort her…. that is so true of me. I often get entangled in sin, it clings to me, and I’m not looking at the big picture. And when God calls me to account, others are astounded but cannot bring me comfort.
Verse 18 the Lord is righteous, yet I rebelled against His command… God never asks us to do anything wrong. It may not be easy to do, and frequently we don’t like what He wants, but there is nothing bad in it. But I dig in my heels and refuse. Oh, Mary! Sometimes I wish I could shake myself!!
7. Babylon was the enemy, yet verse 5 says God was behind it. Does it astonish that He would do this to His own?I’ve read through the Old Testament enough times that it doesn’t astonish me. But I do still get a reaction. Like the line from an old song, “dull surprise when payments due exceed accounts received”. I can’t help but see our western world in this. We’ve turned our backs on God in favor of materialism, sensuality, pleasure, and fill in the blank. When I read James 5:6 “you have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you “, I can’t help but think of abortion. Both Jeremiah and Daniel sought God, sought righteousness, were an example to the people around them, yet both suffered for the sins of their people. And both confessed to God as though it were their own sin. In the Bible, God’s faithful servants don’t usually get a pass when suffering comes along. They do have, however, a different eternal outcome. It helps me a lot to think about the brevity of this life versus the length of eternity. I heard of a very crippled youth, who when asked if he wasn’t bitter toward God for the circumstances, said, “no. I figure He has all of eternity to make it up to me.”
Monday
3. Read up to Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why.
What the pastor said at that gentleman’s funeral, specifically this statement, “Make no mistake friends, the house that we are in today is a house of mourning. We should feel the stunning reality that a human being is no longer with us…” . I’m angry, because every funeral I have gone to for a believer has been called a “celebration.” Don’t get me wrong, I understand why, but it feels like we’re told to stuff our pain, our hurts and our mourning under the chair, pick it back up and don’t show it till we leave. Why as Christians are we not taught to lament…where has this been all my life? I know I have lamented without even knowing but how much richer it is to know how to lament, it’s ok. Another thing this pastor said that would of really gotten my attention if I’d heard it at a funeral, ”There is a right way to lament and respond to the sorrow.”
I so agree, Sharon! It was never meant to me that we should die — death is an enemy, though, thank God, the last one for believers.
Sharon, I have felt the same way. So often as believers, we are encouraged to skim right over the grief and sorrow and get to the part about heaven and joy and praise the Lord! Then I think about how, for example, when Jacob died, Joseph and his brothers and a huge group of people all went out to bury him and they mourned for a long time. They didn’t rush through the process of grieving.
Monday
3. Read up to Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why
Suffering, at every level, is an opportunity to learn to lament and express our sorrow; likewise, it’s an opportunity to learn from lament and remember the trial, the test, the joy, the perseverance, the failure, the ‘pick yourself up and soldier on’ – that’s the journey! And remember it’s that journey that we don’t ever want to forget (well, on one hand, we probably do want to forget 😏because it’s not one of our better moments or times) but also, at least for me, I NEVER want to go back there. I NEVER want life to be so bleak, dark, depressing, and staying in bed with the covers over my head kind of life. I ALWAYS want to remember how the Lord revealed Himself to me, gave me hope, and lead me out of that dark place. It was not an overnight “fix” but more like a seven-to-10 year journey. The lament not only expresses the sorrow and suffering but it includes the memorial. Some of my memorials include a list of significant events of/in my life – a timeline of my life, basically that I keep in my Bible; I also use post-it type flags to flag the Bible verses that have spoken to me (I write the date on the flag & place it beside the verse); and I want to start painting rocks that would include one word (the one thing to remember) and include the verse, and create a little memorial rock garden . . . just haven’t done that yet.
Like James says, “Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance . And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing…. Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” Oh to be perfect and complete and blessed – I long for that day.
Love the rock garden idea😊
I like all of your memorials, Karmen. Yes, a timeline is a good memorial. I did one, once.
Karmen–love this post, how you live out the truth that Dee taught me so many years ago, of remembering His faithfulness in the past and allowing that to give us strength in the present, hope for the future.
thanks, Lizzy – that’s a great summary! 💗
Monday
4. Read Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why
“Lament can return our hearts to what’s really important . . . . Those who know the biblical plan of creation-fall-redemption-restoration should be able to walk through moments of sorrow while connecting everything to the bigger story of the holiness of God and the hope of the gospel.”
The premise of the book I mentioned earlier, . . . and yet, undaunted (by Paula Rinehart & Connall Giliam) is the biblical plan of:
* creation – what ought to be
* fall – what is
* redemption – what can be and
* restoration – what will be
I loved what Mark wrote and how that seamlessly ties in with this other book – almost as if Jesus is saying to me, “keep going, you’re on the right track, this is what I want you to know.” In many ways, I think, these two books and this study are the culmination of the seven to 10 year journey through my “dark years.” So interesting and amazing how the Lord works in our lives.
Tuesday: Read Lamentations 1
6. Read through all of Lamentations 1 slowly. Many pictures are painted to describe the pain. Find a few that speak to you and, if possible, explain why. Verse 8 “Jerusalem has sinned greatly and so has become unclean. All who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; she herself groans and turns away.” How easy it is for us to fail and become unclean if we don’t really watch what we are doing, but how sad that there was no one to help her find the right path. Or maybe there was but she thought she knew better and that nothing bad would happen to her.
Also Verse 11 stood out to me. “All her people groan as they search for bread; they barter their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. Look, O Lord, and consider, for I am despised.” This verse brought back some unpleasant memories for me. I thought right away of when I had to pawn my jewelry that was worth anything so I could get money to pay my electric bill. How sad I was when I had to do that, but I had nowhere else to turn at the time.
7. Though Babylon was the enemy that besieged Jerusalem for 3 years and took people captive, who is behind all this according to verse 5? Does it astonish you that God would do this to His own? Why or why not? – It is God who is behind her suffering and grief, but is it really? Don’t we bring on most of our avoidable issues ourselves because we are possibly too stubborn to ask for help, especially God’s help? I know there are times when I can say no to something I know would not be pleasing to the Lord, but you feel obligated to join the ‘in crowd’. It doesn’t really astonish me at all. God gives us so many chances, so many warning signs to STOP, but we don’t. Just like are earthly parents would discipline us for our own sake, God does it when he sees we aren’t listening or taking heed of his warnings. He stops us in our path for our own safety.
Yes, Julie, God stops us in our path for own safety.
Monday
What is the historical setting of Lamentations 1 & 2? Lamentations is a series of poems written to reflect upon Jerusalem’s destruction in 586 B.C. by the Babylonians.
What is the acrostic nature of these two chapters meant to show us? the first letter of each verse is a successive character of the Hebrew alphabet; this form is designed to emphasize the comprehensive nature of Jerusalem’s fall and destruction – the suffering from A – Z.
Take one example of suffering from the following and share something you learned that you do not want to forget:
What is a historical example of suffering that stands out to you and a lesson learned we should not forget? (holocaust, slavery, a plague, a war…) Examples that stand out to me are in keeping with the holocaust and slavery, the manner and means in which atrocious acts are used against mankind. I think we should never forget that God made man (male and female) in His image; we humans, all of us are made in the image of God by God for God. Period.
What is a personal example of suffering that stands out to you and a lesson learned you should not forget?
Tuesday
6. Read Lamentations 1 – what speaks to me and why? The word “see” is repeated 4 times in this chapter: (v 9) “See, O Lord, my affliction for the enemy has magnified himself!” (v 11) “See, O Lord, and look, For I am despised.” (v 12) “Is it nothing to all you who pass this way? Look and see if there is any pain like my pain which was severely dealt out to me, Which the Lord inflicted on the day of His fierce anger.” (v 20) “See, O Lord, for I am in distress; My spirit is greatly troubled; My heart is overturned within me, For I have been very rebellious. In the street the sword slays; in the house it is like death.” My heart cries out to the Lord on behalf of our country, my country, this land that I love. “Lord, do You see what is happening ? Do our elected officials see what’s happening in our streets. Do You (and they) see the riots and violence, the destruction, the slayings in the street, the death of little one’s in their own beds or backyards or front sidewalks, the anarchy, the rebellion, the pain? Why do some of our elected officials think this this is nothing? Why do some think these things are “peaceful protests?” How can our country be so divided? Oh Lord – do You see??”
7. Who is behind this in v 5 – The Lord
Does this astonish you that God would do this to His own? No, this doesn’t astonish me. God is righteous, just, and jealous. His ways are not our ways. He is sovereign over all. He loves us with a jealous love and pursues us to the point of sacrificing His own Son to make a way for us to Him. He tells us over and over in His Word about (going back to what Mark says on page 92 under Shock and Awe) “the biblical plan of creation-fall-redemption-restoration” and that “every Christian should be able to walk through moments of sorrow while connecting everything to the bigger story of the holiness of God and the hope of the Gospel.” I love Deut. 30. Read the chapter and then read (for me what is) the climatic summary in vs 19-20: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him.”
Great verse: Deut. 30:19,20 Choose life…
4. Shock and Awe: The book of Lamentations was an intense story of the agony of the people of Judah who were transported to Babylon after the destruction of Jerusalem. Mark says it can remind us of what is really important in our lives-to lament.
5. Never forget- The destruction of Jerusalem took place in 586 B.C.; the acrostic of the Hebrew alphabet is to emphasize the comprehensive nature of Jerusalem’s destruction.
The historical setting of slavery in our country is one we should never forget. The Underground railroad and the work of those individuals who assisted the slaves, including Harriet Tubman, is memorialized in many states. The movie, Harriet, was very well done and demonstrated the courage and agony of many individuals.
Shirley, yes, the movie Harriet was great! Highly recommend it….
Sunday:
1 ) I was able to view Michael Card’s seminar on lament. I am very glad that I did. He cuts to the quick doesn’t he? Everything he said was relevant. There was no pretense with Michael Card on this subject and his lament framework was well thought-out. One thing that did stand out to me, was that I wondered if a woman were to express the kind of indignation towards an unfair situation she was facing, such as Michael explained he was facing, could she expect to receive the same acceptance as Michael did when he expressed it with a room full of people. He made a motion showing that he would have liked to punch the guy, the source of his trouble, and when explaining one of his concepts he openly stated that he didn’t care if the audience agreed with him or not, he was permitted to openly express his suffering in that manner. He said that his wife prayed nice things during the ordeal but that he gave himself permission to be angry and prayed in an imprecatory manner, even shooting his rifle into a box but oops! maybe that was over-sharing. I just thought the contrast he made between his own expression of lament and his wife’s response was rather striking. The overall information he was offering his listeners was communicated in an empathic and transparent manner and I think his sensitivity on the subject came across well and this was why the audience was prepared to only want to hear more from him.
2) In this current “house of mourning” I guess I’m learning that there is a need for me to figure stuff out and that it is going to be according to God’s agenda that I will be learning it – like it or not. Mercifully, the “formula of remembrance” brings to my mind the times in the past when I was very grateful for what God revealed of Himself to me because of hard times. How can I ever regret what God has given me through adversity.
Your endorsement makes me want to watch, Lynn — though I know he is the best.
Dee, something has been blocking my new post. I was trying post about the Huguenots French Reformers and the cruel policy of dragonnades during the Protestant Reformation.
Is this your missing post, Lynn?
No this isn’t the new one. Strangely your reply post here doesn’t have a reply option of its own.
Dee, I have tried to post my responses to question 5 once again but to no avail. I have been censored before, by the Psalm 10 people as King David describes, that I have very unfortunately encountered. The censorship has been on these subjects of the dragonnades during the Protestant Reformation against Huguenot Reformers in France and of their treatment in New France. But I have never posted to a blog or social media before this blog. But it seems it may be happening here as well as you have informed me somewhat of the pre-established limits for posting are on this blog and my responses should have posted.
This actually sort of astonishes me! My son-in-law who is in charge of the website company might know what is up. They use a company for this blog — I will ask him. They are leaving to come up and see me this weekend — so we can talk then. I’m sorry — it seems so very strange! The only kind of censorship, if you can call it that, is when people put a lot of links — and then I check it out. But will investigate.
Unfortunately, I have also had face-to-face interactions with these Psalm 10 folks. I feel the country I am living in now is not the same democratic country I was experiencing 30,20, or even 15 years ago – very sad!
Yes, I just went through the videos and will watch them again. Pretty simple. The Truth often is!
6. Read through all of Lamentations 1 slowly. Many pictures are painted to describe the pain.
Find a few that speak to you and, if possible, explain why.
““See, Lord, how distressed I am! I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed, for I have been most rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves; inside, there is only death.”
Lamentations 1:20 NIV Stood out to me. The distress and torment that the author is describing resonates with me. I too have been there through sorrow and darkness.
7. Though Babylon was the enemy that besieged Jerusalem for 3 years and took people captive, who is behind all this according to verse 5? Does it astonish you that God would do this to His own? Why or why not?
The Lord was behind it. It helps me to realize the enormity of what Jesus did for me. That my sin is forgiven.
It does help us appreciate the enormity of what Jesus did for us!
8. Section on Lamentations 1&2. What stood out to me is that central to the pain is that God didn’t intervene to stop it. That lament occurs while the tension of pain remains. And that lament is a journey through the shock and awe of that pain. All of this, even while Jeremiah understood more than most why God didn’t stop it from happening.
A. How is Jerusalem portrayed in verse 1?Alone, who used to be full of people. A broken widow. A princess who is now a slave.
B. What is the big question in this chapter? The word How? Both as a question, and as an expression of shock. I had to think through that second one. Maybe we know in our heads what can happen with disobedience. Even expect it, but when it comes to us we are still shocked.
9. Broken by sin. A. Pictures that Mark points out on the horror of sin.
He references both what happened to Jerusalem in that time, and the Holocaust. “Sin is that bad. God is that Holy. Lamentations is a memorial to a broken world and a Holy God.”
B. Other pictures in chapter one.
She (Judah) finds no resting place. All who pursue her have overtaken her in the midst of her distress. Verse 3. The feeling of being hunted down.
My sins have been bound into a yoke. They have come upon my neck and the Lord has sapped my strength. He has handed me over to those I cannot withstand. Verse 14. What I thought was invisible and not consequential is now very visible and inescapable. How distressed I am. I am in torment within and in my heart I am disturbed, for I have been rebellious. Outside is the sword. Inside is only death. Verse 20. Again, the realization of not being able to escape what is due me for what I have done and been.
C. Lament your specific sin that brought pain and destruction.
Lord God Almighty, You are all too aware of what I am about to say. I have bowed down to the idol of food and been gluttonous. I have been stiff necked and stubborn. I am full of pride and arrogance. Proverbs 27:22 says though you grind a fool in a mortar, you can’t remove his folly from him. I’ve asked for Your cleansing and Your forgiveness, but even more for the removal of these things from me. They bring pain to me and to the people I love. Even more, they dirty my testimony for You. Why do You leave me to struggle with these things? Why are You silent in the face of my suffering? Why are You not zealous for me, Your child? How can I proclaim Your all sufficiency when You leave me with these things? I cry real tears before You, and I suddenly feel Your presence. You remind me that Paul also felt like this, that he also prayed like this, and You had an answer for him. You said that Your grace was sufficient, and that Your glory is made perfect in weakness. Paul went on to say that he would therefore glory in his weakness so that he could all the more proclaim You. Lord, I praise You and worship You because You are above all things, even the things that loom so large in me. You have a plan. You see it all. You can be trusted today and every day. Thank You.
Wednesday: A Broken World
8. In the book, read the section: Lamentations 1 & 2.
A. How is Jerusalem portrayed in verse 1? – Jerusalem is a broken, lonely widow and a princess now a slave. WOW what a picture this makes. I vibrant city at one time, turned to ruin and held captive by the enemy.
B. What is the big question, as identified by Pastor Mark, in this opening chapter? – The big question is HOW?! How could Jerusalem gotten so far out of hand that no one noticed or stepped in before it’s ruin. Or I think they did and it just wasn’t taken seriously enough.
9. Read Broken by Sin
A. What pictures from Lamentations 1 does Pastor Mark point out the horror of sin? – Because of their sin, God leveled his own temple and scattered his own people. Because of Judah’s dismissive attitude of God’s commandments, they were paying the consequences of their disobedience.
B. Can you find any others in Lamentations 1? – I think the deep down problem is that they just didn’t care enough of God and His Word. Their hearts were hardened against doing good and pleasing God.
C. How has a specific sin of yours brought pain and destruction? Can you lament it here? – I will have to come back to this one. I’m asking God to reveal to me the destruction I caused.
10. Memorials, like the Holocaust Museum, can help us remember the weight of sin. Have you visited any, and if so, how have they impacted you? – I can’t say that I have visited anything like this, but just hearing Eva Kor speak, and reading Lilac Girls painted a very detail, gruesome picture for me. If I ever get the chance, I would like to go and see the devastion.
Julie, you asked why no one stepped in to keep Jerusalem from going so far astray. Jeremiah wasn’t the only prophet trying to turn the people back, there were others. I am fascinated by the whole scenario of the prophets calling out God’s pleas. In the people’s defense, there were also false prophets. They kept saying Judah would never be taken, that God would never let His temple be destroyed. If you lived then, would you have automatically known which voice to listen to? Today I have trouble with the virus stuff. Who is talking truth and who is lying? Then there is the whole interplay between kings and people over the years for both Israel and Judah. Sometimes there was a good king, more often not. But even when there was a good king, the people didn’t always follow God. Makes me want to really hold fast to God and the Bible!
Thank you Mary. I appreciate your explanation. I know what you mean on the virus stuff, I don’t know who to believe any more on that either.
6. Verse 16 The picture of one weeping, with no one to comfort or encourage. The hard feelings of parents who see that their children have no future really speaks to me. I imagine this is most depressing and I see a relevance to many families now who see their children’s disappointments.
Verse 20 is also a very painful picture: My heart is broken and my soul despairs, for I have rebelled against you. In the streets the sword kills and at home there is only death. I see the brokenness of those who know they have caused their own punishment. The violence of this scene is also reminding me of the turmoil in so many places now.
7. Behind the destruction of Jerusalem is the Lord who has trampled his beloved city as grapes are trampled in a winepress. This is a picture of the Lord’s vengeance against rebellion. It shows how much we need a Savior. For we have all sinned and are deserving of death.
3. Read up to Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why.
I found the story of the funeral homily very moving. The pastor began by saying that on one hand, there is a sense of relief that the deceased no longer had to suffer with Alzheimer’s, and the family no longer had to watch him go through this, which was painful. But, he also said that “….we are today in a house of mourning. We should feel the stunning reality that a human being is no longer with us. A husband is gone. A father is gone. A grandfather is gone.” Yes, yes, and yes. When I looked at my dad lying in his suit at the funeral home, it didn’t seem possible. It didn’t seem right. It didn’t matter that he lived to be 93, a long, full life, as many were quick to remind me. This was my dad, and he was gone. It wasn’t right.
4. Read Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why.
The part about how lament can retune our hearts to what’s really important in life. Sitting outside tonight until after dark with my daughter, looking at the Big Dipper and the moon, which was an odd shape tonight, by the way….her remembering how when she was young we’d stay out late on summer nights and catch lightning bugs….acting silly and pretending to do Tai Chi in the driveway….that’s the stuff of life.
5. Read Never Forget
1. What is the historical setting of Lamentations 1 & 2?
Lamentations was written by Jeremiah and its subject has to do with the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. It was a dark time in Israel’s history. God allowed the Assyrians to invade and defeat the northern kingdom, and then the southern kingdom, Judah, was besieged by the Babylonians. The temple was burned, the city’s walls torn down, and the people led into captivity.
2. What is the acrostic nature of these two chapters meant to show us?
Chapters 1 and 2 were written as an acrostic, meaning that the first letter of each verse is a successive character of the Hebrew alphabet. It’s meant to describe the total and comprehensive nature of Jerusalem’s destruction, and consequent suffering of the people, from “A to Z”, as it were.
3. Take one example of suffering from the following and share something you learned that you do not want to forget:
Mine is a personal example, of a time when I was suffering physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Because, I believe, we are “holistic” and not divided up into parts. Suffering (and sin) can fragment us and make us un-whole. I don’t want to forget that the cause of my suffering at that time was spiritual idolatry and adultery, and God was so kind to show me my sin so that I could deal with it. He didn’t do it in a way that was “in my face” or condemning, but very gentle, by asking me a question. It reminds me that He is aware when I’m hurting, even if it’s my own doing, and wants to help.
Wednesday: A Broken World
8. Read Section of book: Lamentations 1 & 2.
A. How is Jerusalem portrayed in verse 1? Jerusalem is portrayed as a city alone and lonely, like a widow once great, like a princess now a slave. I like the Message Bible’s interpretation: “Oh, oh, oh . . . . How empty the city, once teeming with people. A widow, this city, once in the front rank of nations, once queen of the ball, she’s now a drudge in the kitchen.”
8B. What is the big question, as identified by Pastor Mark, in this opening chapter? How?!? How could this happen? How could God allow this? How can God’s people survive? How did this happen? How do we think about the future? How do we live today? How, O Lord? How?
9. Read Broken by Sin
A. Pictures from Lamentations 1 that point to horror of sin. The pictures are of Jerusalem and Auschwitz/Birkenau Camps during WWII. The words Pastor Mark uses to describe the horror of sin is what stood out to me: leveled, scattered, ruined, filthy, despised, naked, groans, turns (away), unclean, fall, waywardness, devastation, defiled, mourning, weeping, broken, brokenness, depth of destruction, human depravity, haunting, demented, perverse, sickening, destructive, heinous, horrific.
B. Other pictures in Lamentations 1. The picture is one of contrast of what Jerusalem once was (a vibrant city, full of life with princesses & princes, little ones, lovers, friends) and what became of her because of and by her choices (exiled, afflicted, homelessness, servitude, groan, memories of what was, pain, sorrow).
C. How has a specific sin of mine brought pain & destruction? My specific sin was replacing the Lord as Lord of my life with my family (my daughters and husband) as lords of my life. I need to ponder this more in terms of destruction.
6. Read through all of Lamentations 1 slowly. Many pictures are painted to describe the pain.
Find a few that speak to you and, if possible, explain why.
“Jerusalem, once so full of people, is now deserted. She who was once great among the nations now sits alone like a widow. Once the queen of all the earth, she is now a slave. She sobs through the night; tears stream down her cheeks. Among all her lovers, there is no one left to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her and become her enemies.”
Lamentations 1:1-2 NLT
https://www.bible.com/116/lam.1.1-2.nlt
I guess these verses speak to me because I feel as if I was once full of life also and not I am not.
7. Though Babylon was the enemy that besieged Jerusalem for 3 years and took people captive, who is behind all this according to verse 5? Does it astonish you that God would do this to His own? Why or why not?
God is responsible. Yes I am surprised, however a father does punish his children when they have done wrong…
Monday: Opening of Chap. 5: A Broken World & A Holy God
1. Read up to Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why.
“I shall look at the world through tears…Lament is a memorial.” And in a homily that the author shared hearing at a funeral- “A funeral served as a reorientation to the brokenness that lies underneath all of our lives.”
I realized that all these years what I felt during funerals especially of loved ones and during the times when tears come because of what I see in our world-disease, war, fractured homes, is actually a lament. A ‘reorientation to the brokenness” therefore I need not be ashamed nor suppress the experience. To welcome it as a reminder that this world is not my home and there is a God who will make things right in His perfect time.
2. Read Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why.
Lament can retune our hearts to what really matters. I have asked you before and as earliest last week to pray for my daughter who is away from the Lord. Lament has given me a way to cry out to the Lord without feeling like I need to bring her to the corner of my own opinions. What really matters is that I love her through her wanderings and leave her to the care of our faithful Father.
5. Read Never Forget
1.
A. What is the historical setting of Lamentations 1 & 2?
Israel’s dark history of the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.
B. What is the acrostic nature of these two chapters meant to show us?
A successive character of the Hebrew alphabet and comprehensive nature of the nature of Jerusalem’s destruction.
Wow! I did not know this. I tremble at the thought of going through our alphabet and writing down how broken our country and our world is.
C. Take one example of suffering from the following and share something you learned that you do not want to forget:
o What is a historical example of suffering that stands out to you and a lesson learned we should not forget? (holocaust, slavery, a plague, a war…)
Holocaust
Lesson: Pride is a downfall that leads to destruction. Hitler was motivated by pride and he caused the death of millions.
o What is a personal example of suffering that stands out to you and a lesson learned you should not forget?
Seeing my sister on her last days as cancer ravaged her body and mind. I have learned to be even more empathetic towards those I care for a nurse and especially to their families who are grieving.
Dee, how moving the song by Jason Silver is! And the picture depicted so much agony.
6. Read through all of Lamentations 1 slowly. Many pictures are painted to describe the pain.
Find a few that speak to you and, if possible, explain why.
Deserted, bitterly weeping, distressed, desolate, groaning, grieving, in anguish, fleeing, afflicted, wandering, naked, filthy, searching, bartering for food to stay alive, suffering, young men crushed, trampled upon, weeping, destitute, faint.
Deserted-I can probably bear any type of pain but being deserted would crush my spirit. My heart is full of gratitude that Jesus will never leave me deserted.
7. Though Babylon was the enemy that besieged Jerusalem for 3 years and took people captive, who is behind all this according to verse 5? Does it astonish you that God would do this to His own? Why or why not?
God was behind all of these. No, because God is holy and that there are consequences to their wrongdoing. God is also a jealous God and He will not leave us clinging to idols.
8. In the book, read the section: Lamentations 1 & 2.
A. How is Jerusalem portrayed in verse 1?
Jerusalem is a lonely widow; a princess who has become a slave.
B. What is the big question, as identified by Pastor Mark, in this opening chapter?
How did this happen?
9. Read Broken by Sin
A. What pictures from Lamentations 1 does Pastor Mark point out the horror of sin?
Lamentations 1 describes the filth, nakedness and uncleanness of Jerusalem in verses 8,9. I believe these are sexual images describing the results of Jerusalem sleeping with other lovers.
B. Can you find any others in Lamentations 1?
There are many images of pain and destruction, such as the destruction of God’s sanctuary (vs. 10), being put in shackles (vs. 14), the crushing of the virgin daughter of Judah as grapes in a winepress (vs. 15)
10. Memorials, like the Holocaust Museum, can help us remember the weight of sin. Have you visited any, and if so, how have they impacted you?
I visited the Holocaust Museum in Israel when we were there a year and a half ago. It was hard to look at all the images of cruelty portrayed there. One thing that struck me was the progressive nature of the public scorn and public ridicule directed toward the Jews in the German and European newspapers. Talk about fake news! The Jews were blamed for causing the Germans to lose WWI; they were made the scapegoat in increasingly harsher ways to justify the progressive harsher laws against them. Demonizing a people group comes before genocide generally. That way we feel justified in mistreating them, hating them, imprisoning them, and later in killing them.
11. How are our idols like false lovers? They lie. They say they will provide love or satisfaction or meaning, but they never do. They lure and entice, but then laugh at you when you take the bait. They care nothing for you.
12. A Turning to God.
What stood out is that “lament is an uncomfortable yet helpful teacher”, and that it is a needed wake up call. Right after 9/11, churches were full of people and many posted signs about God. But it didn’t last. We were too sophisticated, too able to handle things on our own. This time we don’t see the turning to God, even though it is so much more obvious we can’t handle this on our own.
13. Hebrews 12:25-29. A. What warning are we given in vs 25? Don’t turn away from God’s warnings. Take heed.
B. What is God’s purpose in shaking our world in vs 27-28? So that we can see clearly what will remain, which is Christ’s kingdom. And seeing that brings us to praise and worship.
C. What have you learned in the last 4 months? People can adapt to almost anything, even if they shouldn’t. Most people have adapted instead of turning to God.
8. A. Jerusalem is portrayed as lonely, a city that was full of people.
B. The big question is How? 4 questions- How could this happen? how could God allow this? How can God’s people survive? How do we think about the future?
9. Broken by sin:
A. Her foes have become the head; she became filthy and naked; all who honored her despised her; it is a language of shame.
B. Other pictures of sin: verse 14 My transgressions were bound into a yoke, by his hand they were fastened together, my strength failed.
Verse 15 He summoned an assembly against me to crush my young men, verse 19 my priests and elders perished in the street.. so much heartache.
C. A specific sin of mine caused pain and destruction when I was a young woman in rebellion, causing hurt to my marriage and times of trouble before the Lord wooed me back and I repented. If I had continued in my self-serving ways much more harm would have resulted.
D.Memorials help us remember the weight of sin. I have not visited but read about the Whitney plantation in Louisiana that was restored to tell the truthful story of 101 slaves who were mistreated severely.In Latasha Morrison’s book Be a Bridge which shares the laments of racism, she tells of her visit there and of the impact on her as the guide truthfully told the accurate story of the slaves who were owned there.
Wednesday: A Broken World
8. In the book, read the section: Lamentations 1 & 2.
A. How is Jerusalem portrayed in verse 1?
Deserted, a widow, a slave.
B. What is the big question, as identified by Pastor Mark, in this opening chapter?
How?
9. Read Broken by Sin
A. What pictures from Lamentations 1 does Pastor Mark point out the horror of sin?
Under a cloud, lonely, broken, Scattered among the nations, overran by her enemies
B. Can you find any others in Lamentations 1?
B. How has a specific sin of yours brought pain and destruction? Can you lament it here?
Pride has caused pain in my relationship with others especially those who are close to me. I think of my daughter and although we are journeying towards healing, I wish that some words were never said between us. The same for my Mom. Thank you, Lord, for redeeming those times, you have indeed turned my mourning into dancing. Time with my Mom renewing our love for one another was short but still, I am grateful that you made it possible before she died. Now I have time with my daughter. Help me make it count.
10. Memorials, like the Holocaust Museum, can help us remember the weight of sin. Have you visited any, and if so, how have they impacted you?
In the Philippines where I am from there is a memorial of General Douglas Macarthur and his men. The sculptor made them look like they are walking on shallow water as depicted in the famous picture taken by a journalist in October 1944. This was before I was born but there is a personal connection because of the following story:
· The effects of World War II to my extended family is what I think of. My Dad’s Uncle was a lieutenant in the Philippine army. His wife and 2 kids were killed by the Japanese when they occupied our country. Because of his position, he was always on the run and my Dad’s family were “watched” for any clues to his whereabouts. Dad and Mom seldom talked about it but I sense their pain. Many Filipinos died and many Americans died, some during the famous Mactan March. There are pictures of emaciated Filipinos and Americans that I can still remember being shown to us by our parents. War is evil. But God brought deliverance to our country through the US Army.
Bing, thank you for sharing your family’s experiences during WWII. How horrible that your uncle’s wife and two children were killed! I am going to have to read up on the Mactan March.
Susan, I just realized I wrote the wrong name of the town. It is actually the Bataan March. Thank you for your interest and caring.
I so agree war is evil.
My husband was a pacifist. I’m not sure what I think — I know Hitler had to be stopped and even Bonhoeffer tried to kill him.
Bing, I did some reading online about the Bataan Death March. That is a part of history that I did not know about before, so thank you. It’s awful how the Filipino and American troops, who had surrendered to the Japanese, were treated. No mercy was shown to the surrendered. My dad talked about being on the island of Leyte during the war, and I read in this article that the invasion of Leyte was a part of General MacArthur’s promise to avenge.
I too am interested in this history of yours, from your perspective, Bing. My dad was a captain in WWII and the Korean War. I think our citizens should hear more of those kinds of stories to really appreciate how we (the US) have helped people all over the world in their own situations. Many today do not seem to think we are a noble country, but we have been over time. My husband had an uncle who survived the Bataan Death March. You are right, war is hell. I’m thankful that America has been a bright light in so much darkness of this world. It my personal belief that God created America for this very reason. I pray that she will remain that light for others.
Bing, I read a historical biography of nurses who were in the Philippines at that time and it was such a difficult experience. I can’t imagine their feelings after going through that march. Thanks for sharing.
Monday:
Never Forget:
5) 1) The destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
2) This form is designed to emphasize the comprehensive nature of Jerusalem’s destruction. Jeremiah wants us to see suffering from A to Z.
3) Though born and raised in western Canada, I spent a few years living in eastern Canada once having completed my second degree. I have mentioned something of this particular time previously on this blog. Something meaningful – in a positive sense – seemed to download into my consciousness at the end of the two years that I resided in the Richelieu Valley region of Québec. This taking place after the year and a half I had spent in my nation’s capital, Ottawa. I joined my daughter in the Richelieu Valley as she had moved out east some years prior and had attended university there. The last of these two years in the Richelieu Valley being 2017, the 500 year anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. I started to develop a keen awareness of who Cardinal Richelieu had been – his being the namesake of this region where I was now residing. Yes, who were Cardinal Richelieu and his foreign minister of sorts – Samuel de Champlain?
“The Champlain Valley makes up most of the drainage basin leading into Lake Champlain, Vermont. The Richelieu River takes its source at the north end of Lake Champlain on the border between Canada and the US. The river flows through many towns (of the Richelieu Valley) where (it) empties into the Saint Lawrence River.” – wiki reference
Cardinal Richelieu, King Louis XIII’s chief minister and the de facto govenor of New France – a former Huguenot himself – orchestrated the policy preventing French Protestants – Huguenots loyal to the new religious movement of their French compatriot, Jean (John) Calvin – from emigrating and settling into New France.
“Richelieu, the Great Master and Superintendent of Navigation, founded a new company, the “One Hundred Associates” (or New France Company), composed entirely of Catholics. Its role was to manage and develop New France from 1627 to 1633. He encouraged Catholic missionaries to go out to Acadia but forbid the Huguenots from emigrating to the New World (1627). However, in actual fact he did not prevent the emigration of individual Huguenots, rather, he wanted to make sure that a Protestant Church would never be established in the territory. To conclude, although quite a large number of emigrants from La Rochelle (city on the west coast of France – Huguenot stronghold in 1627-28) went to the New World, the Protestants did not succeed in establishing a long-lasting colony there. Louis XIII and Louis XIV did all they could to make things difficult for Protestants who wanted to settle on the (North) American continent, so the task was very difficult” – muséeprotestant.org reference
“the Siege of (the city) La Rochelle was the result of a war between the French royal forces of Louis XIII of France and the Huguenots of La Rochelle in 1627-28. The siege marked the height of the struggle between the Catholics and the Protestants in France, and ended with a complete victory for King Louis XIII and the Catholics.” – wiki reference
“The Dragonnades were a French government policy instituted by King Louis XIV in 1681 to intimidate Huguenot families into either leaving France or converting to Catholicism. This involved the billeting of the ill-disciplined dragoons in Protestant households with implied permission to abuse the inhabitants and destroy or steal their possessions. The soldiers employed in this role were satirized as “missionary dragoons”.” – wiki reference
“The first Dragonnades in Poitou (1681): The king’s dragoons were sent throughout France in order to get heretics to convert to the Catholic faith…Louvois had sent a calvary regiment to Poitou for winter quarters. Marillac lodged them mostly in Reformed homes and allowed them to plunder and to ruin their hosts. The dragoons forced their hosts to pay and feed them. When they ran out of money, the dragoons sold their furniture or broke it into pieces. If the Protestant host refused to convert, he was mistreated, hit and became a toy for these vicious brutes, who invented new torture methods and went as far as making children suffer. Women endured all kinds of torture. Once the unfortunate man had recanted, the dragoons went to the next home.” – muséeprotestant.org
Lesson learned: A big price was paid to reform Christian beliefs during the Protestant Reformation. If not for the Reformers’ courageous endeavour and the consequences that they bore, you and I would still only have the option of putting our confidence in a historical belief system which states that a person who trusts in justification by faith alone without works is 1)anathema – a person accursed to damnation or destruction. 1) Catholic Cathecism reference
“Justification Sola fide (or simply sola fide), meaning justification by faith alone, is a Christian theological doctrine commonly held to distinguish many Protestant denominations from the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches.” – wiki reference
I was raised attending the Catholic Church and received the majority of its sacraments but I had never been preached the truth of salvation by sola fide – justification by faith in Christ’s finished work for me on the cross and in my place – alone and by God’s grace – period. All of this was a joyful revelation to me when I first heard it and found out that it had been God’s Word all along.
Thursday: Our False Lovers
11. Many of you have done studies on idolatry, perhaps my book, Idol Lies. If so, how are our idols like false lovers?
Idols promise what we think we need, but they never come through.
Idols never return your love. They are only there for the taking.
12. Read the section: A Turning to God and share what stands out to you.
Jeremiah draws a straight line from their rebellion to their suffering.
A broken world will bring its share of grief but it can also bring wisdom if we are willing to slow down, listen, and learn.
13. Read Hebrews 12:25-29
A. What warning are we given in verse 25?
That we should not refuse when God speaks to us (either God, the Father, God, the Son, God, the Holy Spirit)
A. What is God’s purpose in shaking our world according to verses 27-28?
So that what cannot be shaken may remain.
B. How has God shaken your world in the last 4 months, and what have you learned?
COVID 19 and its effects have shaken my world. My Mother’s death in the Philippines was gut-wrenching for me especially when I shared the news with my daughter about it. She couldn’t understand why God would allow such thing to happen and that we did not have a way to go and be at her funeral. My husband pastor wrestled with how to do church remotely and to meet varying needs while fulfilling the ever-changing “recommendations” regarding mask wearing and social distancing. I have learned:
To obey is better than sacrifice.
To seek God’s approval rather than man’s
To trust Him for myself and my loved ones
To love others even when I have been misunderstood
To experience the suffering of Christ and be brought to a greater level of gratitude for what He had done for me
To look forward to the coming of the unshakeable Kingdom where there will be no more tears and pain.
Bing, you learned such great lessons, and then you were able to articulate them so well!!
What stands out to you from the above and why?
What lessons have you learned from “the house of mourning?”
I listened to the Michael Card videos and I love his calm and soothing voice. Without raising it, his profound words on lament hit to the marrow, coupled with the Scriptures he chose. Lament should be as natural as breathing, especially in the world we live.
The house of mourning is what crowds me to Jesus. Even as I write this, my heart is just tore up over a never-ending trial that I face daily in the workplace. I am talking YEARS! It has even brought physical symptoms, especially lately. And where do I go…I go to this study, I lament, I ask the One who keeps me trusting to keep me trusting. Otherwise, I would be swallowed whole by negative, accusing voices and never get out of bed.
3. Read up to Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why.
I found it quite unsettling to read the message at the funeral. You see, my mother endured 13 years of Alzheimer’s and was in hospice for 3 years. It is the most perplexing of diseases and it was to the point that she was no longer able to interact with life. I had to make the decision in correlation with her wishes spoken to me decades before (which were also in a living will) that she not be treated for an infection but that her comfort be assured. Grief from the death of someone with Alzheimer’s is often disenfranchised because everyone assumes you feel relief…but the truth is, even when she was not able to interact with life, I could still hold her hand. I am moved by the statement, “Lament is for learning.” I am a lifelong learner. I am just wired that way. I think that is one of the fascinating things about walking with Christ is that the learning and refinement never stops…but never should one succumb to the beating up of yourself that is caused by the accuser. God has had many many students and He knows right where we are at the right time.
4. Read Shock and Awe and share what stands out to you and why.
After a dozen years as a Christian social worker in pediatric palliative care, I cannot begin to tell you all the pain and brokenness I see on a regular basis. It all becomes too much at times. This work is solitary at times and can be isolating, as you cannot share these things with your friends or family. I remember meeting with my old college friends, several I had not seen in 38 years. We all caught up with each other, but I felt a part of my life was hidden. How could I say, “Oh by the way, yesterday I sat with a woman for 12 hours holding her dead baby and crying primal sobs.” And when you deal with that every day, others whining and complaints seem trivial. I could relate a lot to what Mark said in this section. It is HARD to sit with someone in their pain, knowing there are no words, no wisdom of any value that you have to give but just a calming presence and sit in someone’s sorrow.
You are a storehouse of rich wisdom, Denise.
Denise,
When our 14 month old daughter died after open heart surgery, the nurse or friend or family member who simply only sat with me and cried, were the ones that somehow brought comfort to my shattered heart.
Thank you, thank you for doing what you do. Jesus sees.
Also, both of my parents suffered with alzheimers. Your words resonate deeply. Thank you, Denise.
Denise, may this verse and song wash over you from Num 6:24-26:
‘“The Lord bless you and keep you;25 the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’
You do the work that most people cannot do on a day-to-day basis. I have the greatest respect for you and am so thankful God has gifted you with mercy, compassion, and love. Bless you!
5. Read Never Forget
What is the historical setting of Lamentations 1 & 2? Both the northern and southern kingdoms collapsed and their inhabitants were exiled to Babylon.
What is the acrostic nature of these two chapters meant to show us? The comprehensive nature of Jerusalem’s destruction.
Take one example of suffering from the following and share something you learned that you do not want to forget:
What is a historical example of suffering that stands out to you and a lesson learned we should not forget? (holocaust, slavery, a plague, a war…)
What is a personal example of suffering that stands out to you and a lesson learned you should not forget?
I am choosing not to go into much detail because it is painful to relive, but I do remember the horrendous suffering I experienced trying to find peace and meaning in life to the point of becoming enmeshed with some self-destructive behaviors. I remember wanting to live for Christ, but did not feel I could ever be as good as my Christian parents and chucked the possibility of being one that could ever make Christ smile. I would listen to contemporary Christian music (late 70s/early 80s) and my heart broke. Finally I prayed, “God, if you are real and really do love me, you have to intervene so I can accept You.” Six weeks after that prayer, my phone lines were cut and an ex boyfriend found where I had moved to, beat me horrendously. A friend invited me to her church in the city where I went bruised and battered, but was loved like I never had experienced. In the next few week, God moved me to Him and transformed my life. I learned that He was in the break-in and the attack that led me to that church to feel tangibly His love. It was through suffering.
Oh, Denise! What a horrible thing that happened to you many years ago. It is obvious that God was working in your life and has used your suffering to get you closer to Him.
Denise, so sorry you have been through such suffering, but praising that it brought you to his love.
Yes, I do identify with what you’ve written here and in your previous post. The context is not the same and my stalker is a group and not one individual. But yes, the intentional interference with your phone line with the intent to scare you into silencing you because they see that you understand that they are unsafe and predatory people. They want you to keep the truth of what they are doing to you hidden and this is why they have an out of control need to keep you from telling others what they perpetrating against you. You live with a reality that others are not getting and not cluing into. Thank you very much for your courage Denise. I so need to be with fellow believers in Christ who have courage.
Denise–thank you for sharing your story here. So painful, awful–but I so love how you point to Him and give Him the glory for using all things to draw you to Himself. Beauty from ashes.
Denise,
Thank you for sharing so vulnerably here.
Your words reminded me of Exodus chapter 15 where the Israelites were encamped in the valley of Marah (the water there was bitter). And how God made those bitter waters sweet.
I needed this reminder today.
12. Read the section: A Turning to God and share what stands out to you.
Suffering is a spiritual wake-up call.
13. Read Hebrews 12:25-29
A. What warning are we given in verse 25?
If those who were warned in the Old Testament and refused to obey were punished, how much more will we be punished if we refuse our salvation given by Jesus.
B. What is God’s purpose in shaking our world according to verses 27-28?
The shaking of our world is to remove the perishable things so that the eternal things remain. The Triune God and his promises are the eternal things which will remain.
C. How has God shaken your world in the last 4 months, and what have you learned?
Here in New Brunswick Canada, we have been isolated by provinces. For months now, we have not been able to go to other provinces to visit or to have anyone visit us, unless they physically isolate two weeks. Recently the Atlantic Provinces have been allowed to go back and forth. That means we have not been able to see our son, daughter-in-law and grandsons as well as close friends who all live in Ontario, as that province has been one of the ‘hot spots’ for the virus. That has been very hard. We usually vacation in Ontario and that has not been able to happen this year.
Also, it has been challenging to have spiritual fellowship with the churches closed. We worshipped online for 3 months and then began to attend drive in services and more recently indoor services with difficult socially distancing rules. But it is hard to talk to people when you have to maintain six feet of physical distance and wear a mask which muffles our voices.
It made me see clearly that relationships are the important things. If we want relationships, we have to be deliberate. It is hard to find the balance between staying physically safe and reaching out to friends and those who need relationship and show the love of Christ. Behind my mask, my shy character becomes even shyer. Outreach on a personal level is very difficult.
Most importantly, my relationship with Christ is my anchor and hope. I have enjoyed more extensive times of study and reading. Obedience to Christ as his servant is why we are here on earth. What I am learning is a very old saying. ‘Only one life ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.’
So hard, Diane — our church is asking the Lord to show us the balance between trusting Him and not throwing caution to the wind.
Diane–I relate to so much of what you shared in C. It’s been hard to cancel our vacation plans and while the introvert in me really enjoyed being home at first, I have missed community and being able to give hugs! But I love how you ended–the reminder that Christ is our anchor and hope, and obedience to Him is why we are here. We also have a promised hope, an inheritance that awaits, and I do look forward to that Day!
“So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.” Job 2:13. NKJV Thank you for sharing, Denise. It is very hard but so valuable.