Introduction
During the Focus message series Pastor Jason taught on the lament or “complaint” psalms. About 70 percent of the psalms in the Bible are lament psalms, and one important lesson they teach us is that God can handle our strongest emotions! Jason challenged us to write out our own lament psalms. Here are some of your honest, powerful and heartfelt expressions of lament and thanksgiving:
Thanksgiving
Lament
Lament
Thank you for your lovingkindness.
Thank you for covering me in your wings.
Thank you for your lovingkindness.
Lament
How long must I look and no one comes?
How long send unanswered cries for strength and rescue?
My thoughts spin endlessly like brown rattling leaves.
The sun warms the land but stops at my eyes.
Why am I always left here unable to move again?
But you, Lord, will arrive, stand close, embrace,
Your whisper, a saving strength, that breathes calm like Spring.
Your light will reach inside and burst green from brown
And I will praise you again–walk again in Hope’s rescuing arms.
How long send unanswered cries for strength and rescue?
My thoughts spin endlessly like brown rattling leaves.
The sun warms the land but stops at my eyes.
Why am I always left here unable to move again?
Your whisper, a saving strength, that breathes calm like Spring.
Your light will reach inside and burst green from brown
And I will praise you again–walk again in Hope’s rescuing arms.
Lament
(1) Oh Lord God Almighty, You are everywhere and everywhen. By You and through You, all things exist. You are before all things, and in You all things hold together. You have always been and always will be. From everlasting to everlasting, You are God. Nothing is hidden from You. Nothing is too hard for You.
Bear with your simpleminded lowly servant, as he ponders what You have allowed to be brought to his awareness these past nine months. With Your approval, in fullness of time – not too soon, not too late – a curtain is pulled back, a veil is lifted, a light shines into the dim, misty past.
The soul of your weak-minded servant cries out to You, as he wrestles with the unfathomable, the inexplicable, the unpardonable and the unfixable. Great hurt and painful rejection were inflicted upon the innocent. What can I possibly do, from here? How can I possibly help, from now? Can anything be done, for those in the “there and then,” by someone in the “here and now”? WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Logical, reasoned thoughts begin to swirl about, caught up in whirlwind and maelstrom; a vicious vortex. Everything remains the same, even though everything is different. Past life events are framed within a larger context. All that was heretofore known, has been revealed to be the successor of a predecessor. It is like discovering that the foundation of a house sits on top of another.
(2) The accuser denounces, “Roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it. Inequity runs rampant! Does this shabby sorry servant fear God for nothing? With blessings from birth, of course he has chosen You!”
The adversary roars,
“Such injustice; for he had plenty, while they had poverty!”
The servant’s mind is disturbed and moans, “I was unaware and did not know.”
The accuser roars,
“Such unfairness; for he enjoyed new clothes, new shoes, new books; while they made do!”
The servant’s heart is troubled and groans, “I was dumb and did not know.”
The adversary roars,
“Such inequality; for he feasted on steak and cake, while they went without!”
The servant’s soul roils and bemoans, “I was young and did not know.”
The accuser and adversary – roars, roars, roars,
“Model trains, horse, pool, drums, billiards table, piano, organ, violins, motorbike, and more!
Permission was given him to enjoy lavish luxury, while they suffered leanness!
Through the years, his sisters’ pleas echo, “How much a little money would have helped!””
(3) The Advocate responds,
“ENOUGH!!! AWAY ACCUSER!!! You mix lies and truth!!! There is no condemnation!!!
It is within the purview of the sovereignty of the Most High Almighty Lord.
He raises up, and brings down. He gives and He takes away.
He directs people’s paths, and the ways around or through.
He walks before, behind and alongside.
I was watching over my servant, before he knew I was there.
I was watching over them, before he was born, and even before they were born.
I testify the truth that he did not know, that he could not know. (Greater than 15 years were put in between them. They were children of the 40’s. He was a child of the 60’s. More than 500 miles were in between them. They were three states away. Even if, when he had come of age at 12 years old – and if the history had been told, and if he had forgone possessions or had them sold, and if trustworthy people had carried the gold – the younger of the two would have been 27 years old.) NONETHELESS!!!
I heard their cries then, and his prayers now, and met their needs.
I am with them then, I am with them now, I am with them always.”
The lighting and thunder stop. The storm ceases. The wind returns to a gentle breeze. And once again, the warm sun fills the sky.
WHAT CAN BE DONE? Plenty.
(4) The Lord God Almighty has already given instruction about the way to go. What He has said in His Word – that is what His servant will do:
Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly.
Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Make petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving for all people.
Bear the fruit and share the fruit, of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Share the grace that was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.
Walk in the light, as He is in the light. Replace rejection with reconciliation.
And never, never forget, that these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
And above all, LOVE covers over a multitude of sins.
Bear with your simpleminded lowly servant, as he ponders what You have allowed to be brought to his awareness these past nine months. With Your approval, in fullness of time – not too soon, not too late – a curtain is pulled back, a veil is lifted, a light shines into the dim, misty past.
The soul of your weak-minded servant cries out to You, as he wrestles with the unfathomable, the inexplicable, the unpardonable and the unfixable. Great hurt and painful rejection were inflicted upon the innocent. What can I possibly do, from here? How can I possibly help, from now? Can anything be done, for those in the “there and then,” by someone in the “here and now”? WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Logical, reasoned thoughts begin to swirl about, caught up in whirlwind and maelstrom; a vicious vortex. Everything remains the same, even though everything is different. Past life events are framed within a larger context. All that was heretofore known, has been revealed to be the successor of a predecessor. It is like discovering that the foundation of a house sits on top of another.
(2) The accuser denounces, “Roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it. Inequity runs rampant! Does this shabby sorry servant fear God for nothing? With blessings from birth, of course he has chosen You!”
The adversary roars,
“Such injustice; for he had plenty, while they had poverty!”
The servant’s mind is disturbed and moans, “I was unaware and did not know.”
The accuser roars,
“Such unfairness; for he enjoyed new clothes, new shoes, new books; while they made do!”
The servant’s heart is troubled and groans, “I was dumb and did not know.”
The adversary roars,
“Such inequality; for he feasted on steak and cake, while they went without!”
The servant’s soul roils and bemoans, “I was young and did not know.”
The accuser and adversary – roars, roars, roars,
“Model trains, horse, pool, drums, billiards table, piano, organ, violins, motorbike, and more!
Permission was given him to enjoy lavish luxury, while they suffered leanness!
Through the years, his sisters’ pleas echo, “How much a little money would have helped!””
(3) The Advocate responds,
“ENOUGH!!! AWAY ACCUSER!!! You mix lies and truth!!! There is no condemnation!!!
It is within the purview of the sovereignty of the Most High Almighty Lord.
He raises up, and brings down. He gives and He takes away.
He directs people’s paths, and the ways around or through.
He walks before, behind and alongside.
I was watching over my servant, before he knew I was there.
I was watching over them, before he was born, and even before they were born.
I testify the truth that he did not know, that he could not know. (Greater than 15 years were put in between them. They were children of the 40’s. He was a child of the 60’s. More than 500 miles were in between them. They were three states away. Even if, when he had come of age at 12 years old – and if the history had been told, and if he had forgone possessions or had them sold, and if trustworthy people had carried the gold – the younger of the two would have been 27 years old.) NONETHELESS!!!
I heard their cries then, and his prayers now, and met their needs.
I am with them then, I am with them now, I am with them always.”
The lighting and thunder stop. The storm ceases. The wind returns to a gentle breeze. And once again, the warm sun fills the sky.
WHAT CAN BE DONE? Plenty.
(4) The Lord God Almighty has already given instruction about the way to go. What He has said in His Word – that is what His servant will do:
Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly.
Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Make petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving for all people.
Bear the fruit and share the fruit, of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Share the grace that was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.
Walk in the light, as He is in the light. Replace rejection with reconciliation.
And never, never forget, that these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
And above all, LOVE covers over a multitude of sins.
Lament
Lament / Thanksgiving
Oh Lord, my God
Where are You in this today?
I sought You all evening, I sought You as I slept
I have not reframed from seeking You my God
I search my heart, my mind, trying to make sense of it all
My spirit agonizes, my soul weeps as I cry out to You
Oh LORD, please help me understand
Why do You want me to be with these people…, wicked to the core are they
Why do You count me among them….show me Lord that which is for me
Search me oh Lord and cast out any semblance of them in me
Let Your guiding Spirit work within me
May His fruits shine out of me that others might not only see but experience Your greatness,
Your loving kindness…, that You be praised
LORD, fill me with Your love for people
And let me not judge them
Fill me especially with love for Your people, Your elect
Help me not feel threatened and be able to reach out to them
Show me how to reach out in love to everyone
Thank you Heavenly Father for Your chosen for me; those revealed to me
Those You know I need to feel safe as I trust You as I learn and grow in faith
Use me as Your vessel to be a blessing to others
Everything belongs to You Father
Direct and help me be a good steward of Your precious gifts
Let the people hearing good testimony know that All blessings flow from You
And in knowing, realize the love You have for them
And in realizing, may they praise Your name forever and desire to draw nearer to You
And LORD God, I will always sing praises to You, my God, while I have my being
It gives me great joy and such peace to sing praises to Your name
I WILL sing a hallelujah in presence of my enemies
I WILL sing a hallelujah in the middle of the storm
I WILL sing a hallelujah…, heaven comes to fight for me
Louder and Louder LORD, You gonna hear my praises roar
I WILL sing a hallelujah cause MY KING IS ALIVE!
Why do You count me among them….show me Lord that which is for me
Search me oh Lord and cast out any semblance of them in me
Let Your guiding Spirit work within me
May His fruits shine out of me that others might not only see but experience Your greatness,
Your loving kindness…, that You be praised
And let me not judge them
Fill me especially with love for Your people, Your elect
Help me not feel threatened and be able to reach out to them
Show me how to reach out in love to everyone
Those You know I need to feel safe as I trust You as I learn and grow in faith
Everything belongs to You Father
Direct and help me be a good steward of Your precious gifts
Let the people hearing good testimony know that All blessings flow from You
And in knowing, realize the love You have for them
And in realizing, may they praise Your name forever and desire to draw nearer to You
It gives me great joy and such peace to sing praises to Your name
I WILL sing a hallelujah in the middle of the storm
I WILL sing a hallelujah…, heaven comes to fight for me
Louder and Louder LORD, You gonna hear my praises roar
I WILL sing a hallelujah cause MY KING IS ALIVE!