Loving God, no matter what it is that we are experiencing, you invite us to bring it to you and to trust in your goodness and love.  Whether we are lamenting or praising, help us to know that you are near and that your love never ends; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

    How many of you like singing laments?...  How many of you are not quite sure what a lament is?...  Somebody asked me what a lament is not too long ago, and I think I said something about complaining, but that’s not quite accurate.  If you look up “lament” in the dictionary, it talks about sorrow and regret and remorse and grief.  Laments are sad songs that are full of sorrow.  So I’m not sure that anybody actually “likes” singing laments, but sometimes a lament might be the best expression of what’s actually going on in your life.

    It seems that somewhere along the line, those of us who are Christian were taught that if things are going on that are sad or difficult or that just make us want to duke it out with God, we’re not supposed to let anybody know.  People don’t like coming to church when they feel as if they might start crying.  In fact, sometimes people simply stop coming when they have things going on in their lives that are particularly difficult.  However, when it comes to lamenting while gathered in community, we have a lot to learn from our Jewish neighbours.

    In their case, they have a long history of bringing it to God when there are causes for grief.  There are Psalms like today’s that are prayers for help and expressions of sorrow and regret.  Then there are people like the prophet Jeremiah, who had so much to lament about that the entire book of Lamentations comes from him.  And even today, the wailing wall is a place to express grief and sorrow over the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.

    So why is it that we as Christians have such difficulty expressing our grief and not being ashamed if others happen to see it?...  Do we think that we are somehow deficient in our faith if we’re not happy all the time?  Do we think that once we believe in Jesus, nothing bad is supposed to happen?  Or have we somehow learned that we’re supposed to be singing songs of praise all the time?

    The passage that keeps coming to mind is this: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15).  That’s why when we gather together for worship, we not only have a hymn of praise, but also sing, “Lord have mercy.”  There are some days when you might come and you’re just ready to shout out praise and thanks to God.  There might be other days when you just really need to lament.  And so, even though everything in the service isn’t necessarily going to hit you right where you’re at, some of it is there for your brothers and sisters in Christ who are in a different space that day.

    The thing is that in our relationship with God, we don’t have to put on our happy face all the time.  Our God is big enough for absolutely everything that we’ve got.  And so, bring it!  Bring your frustration and your sorrow to God in prayer.  Bring your questions and your regrets.  Bring the things that you need, and the things that simply aren’t as they should be.  Like the hymn says, “take it to the Lord in prayer”!

    Our Psalm today includes only some of the things that we are invited to bring before God.  Are you feeling like the water is up to your neck, and you’re drowning in stress and crisis?  Bring it to God.  Are you worn out from crying, and feeling as though God just isn’t answering?  Bring it to God.  Are others making fun of you, or starting nasty rumours about you?  Bring it to God.

    Some of the other things in the Psalm apply more to people like David, who are in positions of leadership and authority, and who give God a bad reputation when they mess up.  The Psalmist says,

Do not let those who hope in you be put to shame because of me, O Lord God of hosts; do not let those who seek you be dishonored because of me, O God of Israel (Ps. 69:6).

He is not only bringing his own guilt and shame before God, but is praying that others will not lose their faith or their honour because of him.  And so, it doesn’t matter how badly you have messed up – bring it to God!

    The key in this Psalm is that in spite of all of the things that are causes for lament, the Psalmist brings it to God in faith.  He appeals to God’s steadfast love and mercy.  He asks for God’s faithful help, and leaves it to God to decide when the right time is to answer.  “At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me” (Ps. 69:13).  Rather than taking all of the nasty things that are happening as a sign of God’s absence, the Psalmist continues to have faith and to bring everything to God.

    That’s what our gospel today also invites us to do.  Ask, search and knock.  Seek and you will find.  No matter what it is that you’ve got going on, bring it to God.  And then Jesus adds some illustrations from daily life.  “Look,” Jesus says.  “Those of you who are parents - are you going to give your child a stone if she asks you for bread?  If your child is hungry and asks for a fish, are you going to give him a snake instead?  – Of course you wouldn’t!”  So “how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him” (Mt. 7:11).

    So come to God in prayer.  Come to God, bringing all that is troubling you or burdening you, or giving you grief.  Come to God, bringing your sins and your mistakes and the things of which you are ashamed, for our God is gracious and merciful and ready to forgive.  It is true that for those who believe in Jesus Christ there is peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  There is the joy of experiencing God’s salvation, and the gratitude that comes with knowing what Jesus has done for us.

    However, there will also be times in this life when we experience grief and suffering.  Rather than taking away all of these experiences, Jesus has entered into them and shares in our laments and in our tears.  Because of him, the way is open for us to bring all of it to God, and to wait in faith for God to act at an acceptable time.  Thanks be to God, who is with us in sorrow and in joy, in sickness and in health, in turmoil and in peace.  Whatever it is, bring it!  God is big enough to handle it.  Amen.

Pentecost 3 (NL summer)                            Psalm 69:1-16
June 14, 2015                                Matthew 7:7-11
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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