By the Babylonian Rivers, WOV 656
Devotion
The text for today’s hymn cannot be published due to copyright limitations. We apologize for any inconvenience. You may find the text here: Hymnary.org
This week we have focused on communication. One very faithful way we communicate with God is through prayers of lament. There are more psalms of lament than of praise in the psalter, yet we rarely read them. One of them, Psalm 137, is the basis for today's hymn.
What do you do when your world is crumbling, when the light is dim, when all you thought you were promised is gone? Be angry! Yell at God! Tell God everything without holding back! That's what our ancestors of faith did. They gave all that was on their hearts and minds to God. A seminary professor once put it this way: "Lament is holding onto God with one hand, while shaking your fist at God with the other." The beauty of lament is that through all the raw emotions we express, underneath it all is our faith. We know that God listens. God responds. We know that God will prevail.
Prayer
Lord of our peaks and valleys, you hear the cries of your children. Your ears are open always. May we openly and honestly speak to you, and then listen for your response. Amen.