Ruth- Refugee Set FreeSample

 LAMENT

Sometimes it seems like circumstances have been engineered to make us miserable. We might even feel like God is against us. Ultimately, God IS in control of our circumstances. Our tendency may be to respond to God's sovereignty in unhelpful ways: we shake our fist at God, possibly believing that he enjoys our pain.

In our reading today, we will see Naomi's lament in response to her tragedy. A lament is an expression of grief and sorrow. It is a lost art in most of modern western society as pop psychology teaches us that it's best to keep positive, avoid negative talk and look on the bright side! Naomi takes a different approach; she bares her soul.  

Most surprising, even alarming perhaps, is the fact that Naomi implicates God in her lament: "the LORD's hand has turned against me" (1:13, see also 1:19-21.) God invites us to come to him with our grievances, to pour our hearts out to him. How does he respond to the person who dares to complain to him?

While not every complaint to God honors him, many of the Biblical heroes of faith complained boldly to God. We may be astonished to discover that God heard them and loved them for their boldness. For example, David complained and lamented before the throne of God, and yet, he is described as a "man after [God's] own heart" (see 1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22.) The prophet Jeremiah wrote an entire book in the Bible called "Lamentations.”

A Biblical lament honors God because the heart of the lament grieves the fact that the world is out of alignment with the good character of our holy God. This type of lament seeks hope in God, the one who alone is good AND sovereign. The Biblical lamenter acknowledges God's power to work his goodwill and asks: "Why do evil people prosper? Why is God silent? Why doesn't God do something?" Such heavy questions arise from the firm belief that only God can rescue and save and make things right.   

Isn't it amazing that we have a God Who allows us to "come boldly" to his throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) with our concerns? What is it about the world that is burdening you today? There are so many possible answers to this question: widespread disease and illness, injustice, sin, moral decay, the refugee crisis, persecuted believers, and the list goes on. What personal suffering are you experiencing? Unbelieving loved ones? Sickness or health issues? Financial or job stress? Follow the example of David and bring your lament to the throne of our gracious God; He empathizes with your condition and bears your pain. He is mighty to save!