Get a grip...on hope

Today: Lamentations 1-3:36

Today we're starting the book of Lamentations--a relatively short book that was written at a time when God's people hit bad times. They were taken off into captivity--just as God had prophesied. They rebelled against Him and the captivity was one of the consequences. In this passage, at least one of the writers called it correctly: "God has right on his side. I'm the one who did wrong..."

In the midst of lamenting the sadness of captivity, the God-inspired writer recognizes some amazing truths. Love this:

I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—

the feeling of hitting the bottom.

But there's one other thing I remember, and remembering,

I keep a grip on hope:
God's loyal love couldn't have run out,

his merciful love couldn't have dried up.

They're created new every morning.

How great your faithfulness!

I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over).

He's all I've got left.
God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,

to the woman who diligently seeks.

It's a good thing to quietly hope,

quietly hope for help from God.

It's a good thing when you're young

to stick it out through the hard times.
When life is heavy and hard to take,

go off by yourself.

Enter the silence.

Bow in prayer.

Don't ask questions:

Wait

for hope to appear.

Don't run from trouble.

Take it full-face.

The "worst" is never the worst.
Why?

Because the Master won't

ever

walk out and fail to return.

If he works severely, he also works tenderly.

His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.

Tomorrow: Lamentations 3:37-5

What we want, what God says

Today: Jeremiah 42-45

"Sometimes what we want isn't what we get.
Sometimes what we get ain't really what we want..."

A few months ago I was singing along with the lyrics to this song in my car (Dave Barnes' "What We Want, What We Get"). Little did I know that I was on the verge of getting some news...some really disappointing news...the same week. Something that I REALLY wanted, REALLY prayed for and REALLY thought was going to happen--didn't. To be honest, it made made me sad-mad-disappointed-scared all at once. I was back to square one.

I cried. My parents brought me dinner (LOVE them!). And I prayed again, "Why, God? Why? I'm one of your kids--and I really wanted XYZ to happen. Did I do something wrong?"

And God was silent.

Honestly, I felt hurt--like the God I trusted let me down.

In those moments, well-intentioned people say things like, "Things happen for a reason" or "God must have something else that's just right for you." I believe those sentiments, but I don't exactly want to hear them in the middle of my sad-mad-disappointed-scared stage.

God was telling me to be patient and to trust Him--to keep aiming for what I want, but to not bulldoze through on my own and make a quick decision without His blessing. I'm still trying to work on that lesson. :)

In today's passage, I thought it was interesting that God's people faced a similar challenge. God gave them some instruction via the prophet Jeremiah. But it wasn't the message they wanted to hear. Instead of listening, they did the exact opposite--and God wasn't happy.

It's important for us to remember that what we want and what God wants aren't always the same things--and what God says and what we want to hear aren't always identical, either. Does God love us still? Absolutely. But here's one thing that makes me feel better in my sad-mad-disappointed-scared stage: God knows and sees a lot more than I do. Perhaps things don't always work out the way I want them to because 1) I'm not God and 2) God has extra information and wisdom--His delay or denial of my requests could be for my protection or growth. And perhaps the idea that "there's something else that's just right" will actually become reality at some point. In the meantime, I'm trying to trust what God already said.

Tomorrow: Jeremiah 46-48

Ready...or not?

Today: Psalm 108-114

[Confession: I posted this originally in March 2009...but remembered it when I read today's passage and thought you might enjoy it.]

"I'm ready, God, so ready."

Have you ever prayed like that?I think for many of us, it's a last-ditch effort kind of prayer. It's the, "I'm still here, God, do you hear me?!? Do you see what I'm going through?!?" kind of prayer. It's probably a prayer of desperation--for that long-awaited job, spouse, financial stability, salvation of a close friend or relative, healing, relationship repair...you name it. Last night (well, today in this 2010 update!) I was reading a prayer that started like that in Psalm 108, but that's not what it was about...well, not exactly. Here's how it goes:

I'm ready, God, so ready,
ready from head to toe.
Ready to sing,
ready to raise a God-song
"Wake, soul!"
...I'm thanking you, God,
out in the streets,
singing your praises
in town and country.
The deeper your love,
the higher it goes;
every cloud's a flag to your faithfulness.
Soar high in the skies, O God!
Cover the whole earth with your glory!

Whoa. David's "I'm SO ready, God" was expressing his desperation to thank and praise God. But that's not where the story ends:

And for the sake of the one you love so much,
reach down and help me—answer me!

Hold up--David was desperate to praise God...when, at the same time, he was also desperate for help? He was psyched to thank God...when the answers weren't there yet? Wow. Let's see how God responded to that:

That's when God spoke in holy splendor:
"Brimming over with joy,
I make a present of Shechem,
I hand out Succoth Valley as a gift.
Gilead's in my pocket,
to say nothing of Manasseh.
Ephraim's my hard hat,
Judah my hammer.
Moab's a scrub bucket—
I mop the floor with Moab,
Spit on Edom,
rain fireworks all over Philistia."

Translation? God's basically saying to David (a warrior), "I'm giving you new territory. I've got allies for you in my back pocket. And I'm taking out your enemies." I kind of wish the prayer ended there. But I'll be honest--I'm really glad it doesn't. Because it goes on to show a little bit more of David's humanity. After God spoke and basically said, "Don't worry--I'm taking care of you and your situation," David did what a lot of us do...he kept on talking:

Who will take me to the thick of the fight?
Who'll show me the road to Edom?
You aren't giving up on us, are you, God?
refusing to go out with our troops?

David's questions here are interesting to me. He is the man after God's own heart--but he's also still a man. A human being. And like a lot of us, he doesn't just want God to answer--he wants the details. He doesn't just want to know what's going to happen...he wants to know how. The prayer ends as David says:

Give us help for the hard task;
human help is worthless.
In God we'll do our very best;
he'll flatten the opposition for good.

The good news? In the end, David trusted God and admitted the limitations of humanity. However, I also love that David didn't let his limitations stop him from doing his part. I hope reading this passage (and my little commentary along the way) encouraged you. I know looking closely at David's example and God's way of speaking and answering prayer in this passage was a good reminder for me--to focus on thanking God just for who He is, to listen, to trust His plan for my life and to do my best with whatever "hard task" I encounter.

Tomorrow: Psalm 115-118