Be Honest. Be Specific

A couple weeks ago I wrote about how it's good to lament to God.   Well It's time for me to dig in to Psalm 74 and really get an example of what it is to lament to God. From the get go, the author is crying to God, questioning God, complaining to God, and pleading for help.  Why?  Because the sanctuary had been destroyed by enemies.  Take a moment to read the complaints found in verses 1-11.

O God, why do you ^scast us off forever?

Why does your anger ^tsmoke against ^uthe sheep of your pasture?

^2  vRemember your congregation, which you have ^wpurchased of old,

which you have ^xredeemed to be ^ythe tribe of your heritage!

Remember Mount Zion, ^zwhere you have dwelt.

³  Direct your steps to ^athe perpetual ruins;

the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!

⁴  Your foes have ^broared in the midst of your meeting place;

^cthey set up their ^down signs for ^esigns.

⁵  They were like those who swing ^faxes

in a forest of trees.²

⁶  And all its ^gcarved wood

they broke down with hatchets and hammers.

⁷  They ^hset your sanctuary on fire;

they ⁱprofaned ^jthe dwelling place of your name,

bringing it down to the ground.

⁸  They ^ksaid to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;

they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.

⁹  We do not see our ^lsigns;

^mthere is no longer any prophet,

and there is none among us who knows how long.

¹⁰  How long, O God, ⁿis the foe to scoff?

Is the enemy to revile your name forever?

¹¹  Why ^odo you hold back your hand, your right hand?

Take it from the fold of your garment³ and destroy them!

This feels like dejavu because this is pretty much the same message God gave to me two weeks ago, which is to admit to God that things are not “fine”.  The author's response here is perfect.  It's honest, and he's going straight to God. There are times when we face trials and tribulations in which we respond in panic and try to fix things on our own.  Instead, we should respond like this author does which is crying out to Him.  This isn't just with the major things, but also with the tiny things.  We need to come to God with our questions and our concerns because when we do, He draws us back to Him and His Glory.  Which is exactly what happens next.  His lamentations turn to praise, and his complaints turn into a proclamation of God's faithfulness.

¹²  Yet ^pGod my King is from of old,

working salvation in the midst of the earth.

¹³  You ^qdivided the sea by your might;

you ^rbroke the heads of ^sthe sea monsters⁴ on the waters.

¹⁴  You crushed the heads of ^tLeviathan;

you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.

¹⁵  You ^usplit open springs and brooks;

you ^vdried up ever-flowing streams.

¹⁶  Yours is the day, yours also the night;

you have established ^wthe heavenly lights and the sun.

¹⁷  You have ^xfixed all the boundaries of the earth;

you have made ^ysummer and winter.

I feel like a terrible Christian, because my praises don’t sound like this. I’m not specific, I’m generic.  “God you are good.  You died for my sins. You love us, you’re merciful, you are good”.    I read this Psalm and I realize that I want to thank God for the times he provided financially, for the times he blessed and protected my marriage, and for the precious moments He has given me with my sons. 

The last portion of the Psalm is a continuation of praise, but this time asking God to do what He wants. To defend his cause. Kind of like saying, let your will be done.

22 Arise, O God, defend your cause;

remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!

23 Do not forget the clamor of your foes,

the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually!

I see this author as someone who, in a right way, complained and cried out to God, then remembered everything God had done, and then asking God to defend his cause and let his will be done.  It’s a great example of how we ought to respond in times of tragedy and sorrow.  While writing this, I also couldn’t stop thinking about the destruction done by Hurricane Harvey.  How would I have reacted?  I hope I can react like this gentleman who still praised God.  

http://www.faithwire.com/2017/08/28/reporter-asks-man-who-lost-everything-in-harvey-why-hes-still-grateful-the-answer-should-go-viral/

Lord, it is my prayer that my fellow brothers and sisters of the Well would come to you, whether in sorrow or with joy.  That we would remember all the ways that you bless us personally, as well as the many ways you displayed faithfulness in Your Word.