20240407 Lamentations 5 – Restore us to Yourself, O Lord

In the mid-90s, Belgium was shocked by the horrific kidnappings and deaths of girls and young women. Among them, Julie and Mellissa were 8 years old. At their funeral, the priest expressed a heartfelt lament. He asked, “Where did all the prayers go?” “What did all those prayer meetings achieve?” “Is the good Lord deaf?” Then reading our minds, he said, “No, it is not blasphemy to cry out this way!”

When life is messy, lament offers a way to relate to God. Even in the Bible, the theology of laments is not always accurate. Lament is the wrong place to draw doctrinal truths about God. They teach us at least one thing, God relates to us even when our theology is messy.

Lamentations 5 is messy. This chapter is the only chapter of Lamentations that is no longer acrostic. The verses are shorter. The text jumps from one topic to another. Lamentations 5 invites us to pray. It is better to pray badly than not to pray. At times, it is better to pray sincere messy prayers than tidy prayers we do not mean. The sovereign, Holy, ruler, and judge of the universe is also our Father. We must avoid disrespect. And, we remember that is a father who delights to see his children come to him with their anger, sadness, and distress.

Lamentations 5 teaches us how to trust God when Life is Hard. First, we will look at the suffering and then how to trust when we suffer.

First, we look at Suffering in Lam 5:1-18.

Under this point we will see that suffering is real and suffering relates to sin.

The first lesson from Lamentations 5 is that suffering is real.

For the fifth time in Lamentation, we have a poem that describes at length the misery of this life. Here are some examples from Lam 5:1-18.

In Lam 5:2 and 18 a first example of suffering relates to the pain of losing possessions and homes. It is not materialistic to mourn the loss of a home. Our homes are more than shelter. They are connected to memories. In some way, it is hard to understand our lives without the homes we live in. They become part of our identities. It is hard to leave a home. It is even harder when a home is taken away.

In Lam 5:3, a second example of suffering relates to losing a close relative. This is the case for orphans and widows, but eventually, all people will lose loved ones. Even when you do not get along with a family member, as long as they are alive there is hope that the relationship could improve one day. Once they are gone, this hope is taken away.

Lam 5:4-6 refers to the scarcity of water to drink, wood for fire, bread, and a place to rest. These are all necessities. Without these, no one can fair well. Living in this state for a long time can be very traumatic.

In Lam 5:11, we read a fourth example of suffering, "Women are raped in Zion, young women in the towns of Judah."

One study suggested that in Belgium 80% of women and 48% of men will experience a sexual violation during their life. This kind of assault is not only physical, but also deeply intimate, and leads to much shame.

So we see that suffering in many forms accompanied the fall of Jerusalem in 587 BCE.

The second lesson is that Lam 5:2-28 is that suffering and sin are connected.

All pain relates to sin or the reality of living in a Fallen world. Sometimes, our suffering is due to the sin of others. In Lam 5:7, suffering is caused by the sin of their “fathers.” In Lam 5:16, the author writes, “woe to us, for we have sinned.” Taken together we conclude that we suffer because of other people’s sin and we also contribute our part to misery in the world. Sometimes we bring suffering upon ourselves.

We need some nuance. In general, we should not assume that people suffer because of their own sins. And, we know that all pain relates to sin or the reality of living in a fallen world. Because all are sinners, we all hurt people and people hurt us.

Even when we suffer and are innocent in the circumstances of our suffering, we still suffer as sinners. We need to remember that we will not give an account to God for other people’s sin against us, but we will give an account for our sinful reaction. Even if we are innocent victim,  we still suffer as sinners. We seek revenge, we gossip, we get entitled. We cope with suffering by indulging sinful desires.

These are three applications for Christians living in a world with pain. We need to accept suffering as part of this Life. We need to Suffer for the sake of Christ. Lament.

The first application is that we expect that suffering is a part of life.

Suffering strikes everyone. We must have a Christian interpretation of hardship. If we do not, we will not live lives God wants for us.

In a post-Christian society, sometimes we lose sight of what God reveals in his word on some topics. Whether we are single or married with no children, or married with children, the goal is the same. God wants to be our reason for our being. We must seek to please in all things!

If we choose God-centered lives, there are many things we need to say no to. Sometimes this will mean embracing some hardship. It means no to sex before marriage. It means no to pursuing a romantic relationship with someone not committed to living for God. It means not being in the cool crowd if they mistreat others. It means missing out on a lucrative investment opportunity if it is unethical.

If we seek God and want to glorify him, we will have to say no to some of our desires. This is hard, but hardship is part of God's will for us. God never promises physical health, wealth, or comfort in this life. Just because it is hard does not mean it is not from God.

The second application for Christians living in a world full of suffering is that we must embrace suffering for Christ’s sake.

We must accept hardship is a part of life and Christians must go a step further. We must embrace suffering for Christ’s sake. Christians embrace suffering for the good of others. Jesus’ death on the cross for sinners was radical love so as his followers, we show radical love. One way to apply this, is with the unreasonable people in our lives. It could be an unreasonable boss, colleague, teacher, classmate, church member, or family member.

At times for our well-being, we may need separation from them. Other times, for Christ’s sake, and their good, we deny ourselves and engage. We need to remember those we find unreasonable, probably hold a lot of pain. Their behavior alienates them from those around them. These people are hard to be around, and they give us gospel opportunities. Loving an enemy embodies the gospel. At times we will want to insist that we are right, and they are wrong. That will not be helpful if they are unreasonable. Showing them, they are wrong will just do one thing, lead them to feel worse and resent us for it. What do we do?

We have the opportunity to walk in Jesus’ footsteps. Love the unlovable and allow God to shape us for his glory. These are opportunities to practice love, patience, and self-denial. We offer complicated people something that maybe no one else has ever offered them, someone who does not leave. In staying with them, we bear some of the pain. As struggle to stay with them, they start to feel less lonely. God is always with us and so staying with sinners portrays gospel glimpses.

This is an impossible task. We can do it when our identity is one of a forgiven sinner who has been shown extravagant love. Our view of suffering allows us to take on suffering. Embracing hardship gives us opportunities to be Christlike.

A third application of pain in the life of a Christ is Lament.

We will experience pain. Lamentations shows that even those guilty for their own suffering can turn to God and lament. There are wrong ways to respond to suffering. These include gossiping, grumbling, cynicism, self-reliance, entitlement, idolatry, or prayerlessness. Lament is the faithful response to distress. It can be messy. It is honest wrestling with God. It is turning to God in our pain, complaining, requesting, and trusting. Lament is glorious because it teaches that we still have God and so we have everything we need. Lament is a gift.

Second, we look at Trust while suffering in Lam 5:1, 19-22.

Lamentations ends with Trust. Mark Vroegop lists 4 elements of lament which are turning to God, complaining, requesting, and trusting. The final verses of Lamentations 5 include requesting and trusting. They are requests fueled by trust in God. Lam 5:19-22 illustrates trust through hardship.

In Lam 5:19 we read, “But you O Lord reign forever. Your throne endures for all generations.” The authors requests in Lam 5:21, “Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored. Renew our days as of old.” It seems like Lam 5:22 ends on a negative note. He says, "unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us."

It is as if the author is leaving a door open for God’s rejection. We know from Lam 5:21 that the author knows this will not the case based on his request. The author trusts that God will restore them. He knows that God will not completely reject his people. He will not remain exceedingly angry with them.

Let’s examine the authors’ trust to learn how we can also trust in hardship. In Lam 5:19 and 21, we see that the author’s understanding of God comes from a bigger picture than his circumstances. Beyond his circumstances, he knows “the LORD reigns forever” and “his throne endures for all generations.” In Lam 5:21 he says, “Renew our days as of old.” Our theology of God is important. The Lord is the creator, sustainer, and only savior. When in trouble he is the one we want to turn to. The Bible teaches us over and over that he accepts all who turn to him. He forgives all those who ask him. He also graciously declares the future that he has for us. Both the destruction of Jerusalem (587 BCE) and restoration of Israel following the exile fits biblical expectations.

This suffering of Lamentations fulfills the warning from the books of Moses. In Lev 26:32-33, the LORD warns, “Lev 26:32 And I myself will devastate the land, so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled at it. 33 And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.”

Then Lev 26:40-42  declares three things.(1) “but if they confess their iniquity”, (2) and the iniquity of their fathers … in walking contrary to me… and (3)  “42 then I will remember my covenant with Jacob … Isaac… Abraham and I will remember the land…” 44 when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not spurn them, neither will I abhor them so as to destroy them utterly and break my covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God….”

In Lam 5:1, the author begins with “Remember!” I think he may have the Promise of Lev 26 in mind since the author confesses both the iniquity of his generation and that of his father’s. He obeys Lev 26 and so he can expect its promises of restoration.

This applies to us. The lesson of this second point is that we can trust God in our suffering because we know the story God invites us in, and we know how this story ends.

The Old Testament provides this biblical paradigm. Israel sins. The Lord judges sin. Israel is devastated and turns to the Lord. The Lord Restores Israel. The author of Lamentations knew this pattern. This allowed him to cry out in faith knowing God would restore him.

For us, we trust God in hardship because we know the story that God invites us in. It is one of human rebellion, sin, and misery, and of God’s judgment, love, mercy, redemption, and blessing. Jesus is God’s plan of salvation for the world. Jesus was rejected, suffered, and betrayed. He endured death and was raised from the grave. Christians are united to Christ. We are as much united with him in his suffering as in his death and resurrection. Our suffering now fits in our gospel-shaped story. We are filled with the Holy Spirit and can announce God’s reign and salvation even if we suffer. We understand God has reigned in the past. God reigned in Creation, the Exodus, the conquest of the Promised Land, Jerusalem’s destruction and the return from exile. The Biblical story teaches us how God will deal with us. We know that God will indeed deliver us from our hardship even if this is not something we experience in this life. We will experience full restoration in Glory.

Understanding our story in light of God's story, we interpret the events of our lives differently. As characters in God’s story, we view our identities differently as well. As children of God, we experience his deep mercy in the midst of dark clouds.

Rom 8:36-39 illustrates how Paul’s could trust God while suffering because he knew the big picture. Rom 8:36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” Rom 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Rom 8:38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, Rom 8:39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Conclusion

We have finished Lamentations. Lament is not a quick fix to our problems. Lamentations offers a way to re-orient ourselves in suffering. Lament helps us to turn to God no matter where we find ourselves, and how we feel. Lament reminds us that we have God and he is all we need. To cry is human, to lament is Christian. Because of our faith we can confidently enter the dark places. We understand the story we are part of. We know throughout our suffering that our story ends in victory in Christ over death. We know through hardship that God holds us and preserves us.

For individuals, lament is a gift for us to know God’s grace as we suffer through depression and anxiety. We turn to God, we complain, make requests, and trust. Learning to trust can take a life time. The Christian life is a journey.

Lament helps us when we walk alongside fellow sufferers. When we learn to turn to the Lord in darkest places, we can be around other sufferers. We know our job is not to cheer them up or fix them. Lament allows us to gently guide them to experience God in their suffering.

Lament changes a church. Lament creates authenticity that welcomes messiness. It creates an intimate community and environment where we mourn together.

Finally, Lament is also the church’s gift to the world. When there is injustice, war, and division, we don’t need to know the answers. We do not have to agree with sufferers' political or worldview to lament with them. With our lament, we offer ourselves. We offer our heartache, our tears, our friendship. Most importantly, we lead people to turn to the Sovereign God. He is the one who raises the dead and who will one day make all things right. Jesus was so compassionate towards sinners and sufferers that he bore the sins of the world and took the punishment we deserved. God raised him from the grave to show us the debt of sin was fully paid. Now there is nowhere we go that God can’t meet us. And nothing can hold us back from serving and loving others!