Lamentations: God's Word for the Brokenhearted

 He has made my teeth grind on gravel,
  and made me cower in ashes;
 my soul is bereft of peace;
  I have forgotten what happiness is;
 so I say, “My endurance has perished;
  so has my hope from the LORD.”

 Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
  the wormwood and the gall!
 My soul continually remembers it
  and is bowed down within me.
But this I call to mind,
  and therefore I have hope:

 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
  his mercies never come to an end;
 they are new every morning;
  great is your faithfulness.
 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
  “therefore I will hope in him.”

 The LORD is good to those who wait for him,
  to the soul who seeks him.
 It is good that one should wait quietly
  for the salvation of the LORD.
 It is good for a man that he bear
  the yoke in his youth.

 Let him sit alone in silence
  when it is laid on him;
 let him put his mouth in the dust—
  there may yet be hope;
 let him give his cheek to the one who strikes,
  and let him be filled with insults.

 For the Lord will not
  cast off forever,
 but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion
  according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
 for he does not afflict from his heart
  or grieve the children of men.

 To crush underfoot
  all the prisoners of the earth,
 to deny a man justice
  in the presence of the Most High,
 to subvert a man in his lawsuit,
  the Lord does not approve.

 Who has spoken and it came to pass,
  unless the Lord has commanded it?
 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
  that good and bad come?
 Why should a living man complain,
  a man, about the punishment of his sins?

 Let us test and examine our ways,
  and return to the LORD!
 Let us lift up our hearts and hands
  to God in heaven:
 “We have transgressed and rebelled,
  and you have not forgiven.

 “You have wrapped yourself with anger and pursued us,
  killing without pity;
 you have wrapped yourself with a cloud
  so that no prayer can pass through.
 You have made us scum and garbage
  among the peoples.

 “All our enemies
  open their mouths against us;
 panic and pitfall have come upon us,
  devastation and destruction;
 my eyes flow with rivers of tears
  because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.

 “My eyes will flow without ceasing,
  without respite,
 until the LORD from heaven
  looks down and sees;
 my eyes cause me grief
  at the fate of all the daughters of my city.

 “I have been hunted like a bird
  by those who were my enemies without cause;
 they flung me alive into the pit
  and cast stones on me;
 water closed over my head;
  I said, ‘I am lost.’

 “I called on your name, O LORD,
  from the depths of the pit;
 you heard my plea, ‘Do not close
  your ear to my cry for help!’
 You came near when I called on you;
  you said, ‘Do not fear!’

 “You have taken up my cause, O Lord;
  you have redeemed my life.
 You have seen the wrong done to me, O LORD;
  judge my cause.
 You have seen all their vengeance,
  all their plots against me.

 “You have heard their taunts, O LORD,
  all their plots against me.
 The lips and thoughts of my assailants
  are against me all the day long.
 Behold their sitting and their rising;
  I am the object of their taunts.

 “You will repay them, O LORD,
  according to the work of their hands.
 You will give them dullness of heart;
  your curse will be on them.
 You will pursue them in anger and destroy them
  from under your heavens, O LORD.”
(Lamentations 3:16-66 ESV)

 

 

"It is an easy thing to extol in high terms the favour of God in prosperity, and also to exhort those who have reasons to hope well to entertain confidence, and to bring forward God's promises, that the minds of the godly may recumb on them; but when things are in a state of despair, and God seems to have forsaken his Church, since prophecy still remains in its force, and God appears as stretching forth his hand to the miserable, and to such as are almost in a hopeless state, we hence derive much benefit, and this is the chief use of what is taught here" (John Calvin).

 

It has been a difficult weekend. Our great excitement and expectations for the weekend came to an abrupt halt Friday afternoon. Tragedy has struck again, and most of us are still struggling to wrap our minds around the horrific events that took place in an elementary school, first-grade classroom. Some of us rushed to our TVs and turned on the news. Some of us whipped out our cell-phones and began browsing the headlines. Some of us called friends and family that we knew in the area where the shooting occurred. Some of us crumbled to our knees, and prayed one of those prayers that Paul speaks about in Romans 8:26. Throughout the myriad of thoughts racing through our minds at that second, one we shared was, "What is this world coming to?"

 

I have avoided watching the news the past few days. I know what happened, and the media has no hope whatsoever to offer for this tragic situation. When tragedy strikes, we are often glued to the television set, waiting for the media to report on something good that happened in the midst of the tragedy. We are slightly encouraged by reports of heroes and heroines that sacrificed their lives to try to save another's, but that's not enough to answer that burning question that itches all of our ears: Why?!

 

I watched one of the national broadcast news' morning report this morning, and I began to crumble. Twenty first-grade children without a care in the world, anxiously anticipating Christmas break, whose bright-smiled pictures proudly decorated their families' homes and wallets, will now be the bright-smiled pictures that leave an entire nation "Under God" grieving and wondering Why? Why these children? Why now? Why there? Why? Why? Why?

 

We stay glued to the TV waiting for the media to answer that fifth "W" question, but they don't have an answer for us. We know who, we know what, we know when, we know where, but we have no clue why. We talk about it with others at work, with our families, with our fellow believers, but we never seem to have the answer each of us is looking for. Our children huddled beside us on the couch ask the stinging question, "Why did God let that man kill all those kids?" Choked up, wondering the same question ourselves, we try to reassure them along with ourselves that God will use this tragedy for good and for His glory, but our hearts are actually filled with doubt that any good can come from this.

 

If you've read God's Word, then you know that this is not a question that remains unasked throughout Scripture. How many of God's faithful servants were left wondering why God allowed them to succumb to tragedy after tragedy? How often did God's unfaithful people wonder why God turned a blind eye to their suffering while the wicked and sinful flourished and abused them? King David, a man after God's own heart, was even left wondering, "Why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?" Of course, even the only begotten Son of God asked His Heavenly Father Why? as He was crucified on the cross for our transgressions. Brothers and sisters, do not be ashamed of wondering Why?, but be careful how you respond to God's answer.

 

When tragedy strikes, Lamentations is a good book to turn to when you are left wondering Why? As the book of Job teaches us, not every destruction and tragedy we face is a punishment for our sin. This is where our hearts deceitfully venture first to answer our question. We automatically think, "What did I do to deserve this?" We are quick to ponder this question after an event reminds us just how frail human life is, but the thought hardly ever crosses our minds when all is seemingly well. We never wonder why God has so bountifully and graciously provided for our every need in the past, but as soon as our world is turned a bit off kilter, we are quick to file through the sins we have committed and wonder which one God is punishing us for. This, as the book of Job relates, is not good.

 

Every destruction, tragedy, and evil committed in this world is a result of our sin but is not necessarily a punishment or judgment of God for our particular sins. In light of this recent tragedy, Christian churches should not (although many will) try to make any connotation between the tragedy that occurred in Connecticut with social sins that our country has committed. We need not mention the sins of abortion, divorce, or the lack of Christian education in our culture in connection with the tragedy that has taken place. God is not punishing America's policy on the destruction of unborn life by taking the lives of twenty first-graders, and perish the thought in the hearts and minds of God's people that He ever would.

 

On the flip-side of the coin, this event, along with every tragedy, is not outside of God's control and power. That is to say, Satan did not achieve the upper-hand in this tragic loss of life and lay a stinging blow to God's ability to thwart all wicked destruction. Similarly, God is not sitting idly in Heaven, allowing the rest of history to play itself out, allowing man to destroy himself and creation until He chooses to return to judge the quick and the dead. As verses 37 and 38 relate, "Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?" These verses help us understand that nothing comes to pass outside of God's sovereign will, but that leaves many doubting the goodness of God. Surely, if God allowed this evil to occur, then He must necessarily be guilty of the evil committed and, therefore, not be a good God. Calvin extinguishes this incendiary idea much better than I ever could:

"Let us then hold this doctrine, that nothing is done except by God’s command and ordination, and, with the Holy Spirit, regard with abhorrence those profane men who imagine that God sits idly as it were on his watch-tower and takes no notice of what is done in the world, and that human affairs change at random, and that men turn and change independently on any higher power. Nothing is more diabolical than this delirious impiety; for as I have said, it extinguishes all the acts and duties of religion; for there will be no faith, no prayer, no patience, in short, no religion, except we believe and know that God exercises such care over the world, of which he is the Creator, that nothing happens except through his certain and unchangeable decree.

"Now they who object, and say that God is thus made the author of evils, may be easily refuted; for nothing is more preposterous than to measure the incomprehensible judgment of God by our contracted minds. The Scripture cries aloud that the judgments of God are a great deep; it exhorts us to reverence and sobriety, and Paul does not in vain exclaim that the ways of God are unsearchable. (Rom_11:33.) As, then, God’s judgments in their height far surpass all our thoughts, we ought to beware of audacious presumption and curiosity; for the more audacious a man becomes, the farther God withdraws from him. This, then, is our wisdom, to embrace only what the Scripture teaches. Now, when it teaches us that nothing is done except through the will of God, it does not speak indiscriminately, as though God approved of murders, and thefts, and sorceries, and adulteries; what then? even that God by his just and righteous counsel so orders all things, that he still wills not iniquity and abhors all injustice. When, therefore, adulteries, and murders, and plunders are committed, God applies, as it were, a bridle to all those things, and how much soever the most wicked may indulge themselves in their vices, he still rules them; this they themselves acknowledge; but for what end does he rule them? even that he may punish sins with sins, as Paul teaches us, for he says that; God gives up to a reprobate mind those who deserve such a punishment, that he gives them up to disgraceful lusts, that he blinds more and more the despisers of his word. (Rom_1:28; 2Th_2:10.) And then God has various ways, and those innumerable and unknown to us.

 

"Let us then learn not to subject God to our judgment, but adore his judgments, though they surpass our comprehension; and since the cause of them is hid from us, our highest wisdom is modesty and sobriety.

"Thus we see that God is not the author of evils, though nothing happens but by his nod and through his will, — for far different is his design from that of wicked men. Then absurd would it be to implicate him as an associate in the same crime, when a murderer, or a thief, or an adulterer is condemned, — and why? because God has no participation in thefts and adulteries; but the vices of men are in a way wonderful and incomprehensible as his judgments. In a word, as far as the heavens are from the earth, so great is the difference between the works of God and the deeds of men, for the ends, as I have said, are altogether different."

 

"But this I call to mind,
  and therefore I have hope:
 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
  his mercies never come to an end;
 they are new every morning;
  great is your faithfulness.
 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
  “therefore I will hope in him.”
 The LORD is good to those who wait for him,
  to the soul who seeks him.
 It is good that one should wait quietly
  for the salvation of the LORD...

 For the Lord will not
  cast off forever,
 but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion
  according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
 for he does not afflict from his heart
  or grieve the children of men."
 

Overall, we have brought this tragedy upon ourselves when Adam disobeyed the command of God and plunged every man, woman, child, creature, and all of creation into the destructive power of sin. The punishment of sin is death, and every sinful creature shall die once. Whether we live to see eighty or our life is snuffed out after six months, we will all die and this is unavoidable. Death is sadly a part of our lives because of man's sinfulness. Death, however, is not the only punishment, but hurt, pain, destruction, torment, and immense suffering.

The Lord causes grief in our lives, grief that will cause us to wonder What have I done to deserve this?, and such grief should not point us to a single sin but to an entire sinful nature in need of salvation from sin and its desserts: pain, suffering, grief, and death. God does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. He finds no pleasure in our suffering from sin. He does not delight in the tragedies that we have exposed ourselves to through sin, but He does allow and cause us to be stricken with grief so that we might repent of our sins and turn to Him for compassion. God does not enjoy our suffering, and He even suffered along with us and for us, even death upon a cross, so that He could save His creation from the sinful torments they brought upon themselves. He hates our suffering and our sin so much that He burdened Himself with it so that we might be freed from it by faith in Him. Unfortunately, so many of us ignore our only hope of salvation until God removes every false hope from our line of sight and reminds us that He is our portion and we can and should only hope in Him. It takes tragedies to remind us that the most tragic event that occurred throughout all creation is the only one that brings us hope above all others: our creator died the sinful death of His creation so that mankind might pass from sin and death to life everlasting through His death and resurrection.

As a nation, we should certainly grieve over this terrible tragedy. As a church, we should not be surprised when we ask Why? That is not a bad question to ask, but we need to let God answer our question through His Word. He is not going to answer each of us individually through a dream or a vision. He is not going to let an event or a circumstance answer that question. His answer is clear, and we need to obey immediately: "Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD! Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven" (Lamentations 3:40-41 ESV). In short, let us pray!

Let us remember who our only hope is! Let us lift up His name on high! Let us praise and worship Him for His truth and glory! Let us humble ourselves and glorify Him with honor! Let us recognize that although the mountains should fall, our God sits upon His throne in Heaven and protects the needy and defenseless! Let us remember that God has provided the Lamb for the sacrifice, and has shown compassion according to the abundance of His steadfast love by giving His only begotten Son as the propitiation for our sins!

Let us never forget that although these children, their protectors, and their murderer have left this sinful world, God will judge the sinful and will pardon the faithful! This heinous crime shall not be ignored by God. He has heard the cries of the children, He has heard the sound of their blood crying from the ground, and He has answered their cry for justice. Their murderer shall not remain unpunished, and although he may cry, "My punishment is greater than I can bear!", the Lord will execute His just judgment!

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)

This is the hope that we have as Christians. In the midst of great grief and tragedy, our message must not change. Death is not the end-all. There is a resurrection from the dead, and when the death toll climbs the glory of the resurrection increases! Although God will be glorified for every man's resurrection, the resurrection will not be a wonderful experience for everyone. Some will be resurrected unto everlasting life and some unto everlasting torment. The book of life is written in the blood of Christ and has been published long before the foundations of the earth have been laid. The names in that book were written before the men and women who match those names even drew a single breath. Their names are not in that book because of their deeds in this life, but solely because of Christ's obedience in life and death to God's will. Therefore, countless childrens' names are surely included in the book of life, to include names of the twenty murdered children. Even children who remained unnamed in this world because they never survived the womb have names listed in the book of life. This gives us immense hope in light of tragic, child death that occurs around the world every day.

Finally, we do not know whose names are listed in that book, but we must assume that every neighbor that surrounds us is listed in the book of life. How shall they believe if they have never hear the Gospel? In light of tragedy, those who are at enmity with God do not grow softer, but rather, their hearts tend to grow harder. They hate someone that they claim does not exist. They say that events like these just go to prove that there is no God, and if there is, He is either all-powerful and unloving or all-loving and not powerful. Overall, the hard hearts will hate with a further passion Him who they fervently argue does not exist. How much more, therefore, should we proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to these people?! Remind them that this situation is completely hopeless if there is no God. These children will never receive justice and they will never know any more of life. To remove God from this tragedy is to say that the cry of these children's blood will never go answered and to steal from their families any hope of seeing their children raised from the dead on that last great day. Without God, this situation is bleak indeed. But with God, there remains hope, and you MUST provide that hope to those who cannot see it. But you must first see that hope yourself, and therefore, you must read God's Word and lift up your prayers and doubts before God so that He can comfort you by the Holy Spirit in the salvation and resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. (1 Peter 3:14-16)