Why I find Lamentations to be so strangely comforting

Scripture verses that caught my attention today: Lamentations 5:21-22 Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored;
renew our days as of old—
22 unless you have utterly rejected us,
and are angry with us beyond measure.

Observation: Throughout this whole book the author completely trusts in the Lord in spite of many, many hardships and even a periodic pondering of whether God is even listening.

I noticed in the chapters of Lamentations assigned for today that although the author struggles to understand what the Lord is really like, the author still figures that the Lord is there. For example, in chapter 3:32-33 we read that the Lord both causes grief and, also, does not willingly grieve anyone. Does that mean that some grief that the Lord causes is done against the Lord’s will? The author doesn’t say, nor, do I think, does it matter to the author. The author is somehow content, though sometimes restlessly so, with the Lord being the Lord, period…come what may.

Application: One of the reasons that faith is called faith is because having faith involves a degree of trust that often cannot be readily verified. And yet this trust somehow enables one to move forward through the uncertain and uncharted territory called life.

My parents had that kind of trust, that kind of faith. It was not just a “the Lord will provide” kind of belief, though they did reflect that belief in many ways. It was also an, “even if the Lord does not provide what we think that we need, God must know better than us what our real needs are or how we might better be of service in the Lord’s grand scheme of things.”

I sometimes wonder what my own life would be like without having had that kind of witness at home from a couple of people who still had their own share of problems, as we all do, but nevertheless had this deep and abiding trust in the Lord that carried them through.

Compared to many people, I must admit that I’ve had a relatively charmed life. But there have been some pretty unpleasant times too. And it’s interesting to look back and realize that, during those times I too tended to trust as my parents trusted that, whether things turned out for good or for ill, I was still in the Lord’s hands. Like all true gifts, it’s not one that I can really take credit for, but it is one that continues to have a profound impact on my life…which may be one reason why I found the book of Lamentations to be so strangely comforting.

Prayer: Lord, come what may, help us always to trust in you no matter what. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(readings today included: Lamentations 3-5 and Revelation 15)