A Time to Weep, May 10 2020

God’s gift of Lament

Today’s Preacher: Stephen Baxter

The entire service, approx 30 minutes, is available on YouTube, below.

Sermon Title: A Lament for our Planet

Whether we are Christian or not, whenever there is suffering there is a response. It doesn’t matter whether it personal or someone close to us, or the community/world in general, suffering and evil elicits a reaction.

What is our strategy?

Do we ignore it endeavouring to minimize the pain and stay positive? Do we drown it in a fever of activity ¾ bingeing on Netflix, using mind-altering substances or numbing it with alcohol?

Perhaps our tactic is to face it, get angry, frustrated and ‘let it all out’. Alternatively, we can fixate on the suffering, succumb to it and wallow in despair. On the other hand we could become consumed by fear and trapped inside emotions unable to think, convinced things could only get worse.

Not surprisingly, each response reveals something about our belief in God?” Ignoring suffering suggests God is irrelevant, drowning suffering implies God is insufficient. Despair says God is uninvolved, rage says God is unjust, and fear suggests God is not in control.

But there is another way.

It is called Lament. It is the gift of God for difficult, sad and painful moments. The bible is full of them. In lament, we encounter life and theology in their most raw forms. It is about expressing our hurts, griefs sorrows and complaints to God. it is truth-telling allowing the voice of the suffering to be brought front and centre.

To read more info about this sermon series CLICK HERE >>>

Today’s Bible readings: Psalm 85 and Habbakukk 1:1-6; 2:1-2