Laments and their Place

Scripture Verse that Caught My Attention Today: Ezekiel 19:14 And fire has gone out from its stem,
has consumed its branches and fruit,
so that there remains in it no strong stem,
no scepter for ruling.
This is a lamentation, and it is used as a lamentation.

Observation: The last line of the above verse is the one that struck me.

Application: In another book of the Bible, Ecclesiastes, it says that there is a time for everything. Clearly in the verse above the writer is talking about a time to lament.

I’m not a big lamenter, but nor am I afraid of it. There are times when it can be helpful to take an honest look at oneself or one’s situation or one’s family or organization or company or country or world and face any unpleasant realities that might be therein. Lament is often one part confession and another part frustration and/or regret. Sometimes those are the kinds of feelings that we can’t help but harbor for a day or maybe even for a season in our life—trusting that, in time, this too shall pass.

Before it passes, however, there may be a richness within it to be explored. Times of lament can be holy times, times when we consider anew the Lord’s work in us, through us, and, sometimes, in spite of us.

None of us wants to always be a ‘downer.’ Still, generally speaking, we need not lament lament. Sometimes a lamentation needs to be used as a lamentation.

Prayer: Lord, thanks for allowing us to always be who we really are to bring the feelings we really feel to your attention, be they joyful or otherwise. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Readings Today Included: Ezekiel 17-19 and Revelation 7)