As we recover the practice of lament, we will meditate on the third movement of lament: appeal for God to hear and respond.
Appeal for God to Hear and Respond
Laments don’t end with complaints. The third movement is an appeal for God to hear and respond.
The grounds for this appeal is God’s word; his character and his promises. Even in the darkness of Psalm 88, the psalmist appeals to a God who hears—“May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry” (Ps 88:2).
David similarly appeals to God: “Look on me and answer, Lord my God” (Ps 13:3). As we lament, we not only express our difficulties to God, but we call upon him to hear us in our moment of need—knowing that he alone is our source of comfort, hope and help.
As people living after Jesus’ death and resurrection, our prayers of lament are now anchored in what we believe and know to be true about the character and promises of God revealed in Christ. We can know of God’s faithfulness to save us and meet us in the depths of our cries even more than the psalmists.
Come Holy Spirit, meet our hearts today.
Smitten With Goodness 