“I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me; give ear to my voice when I call to you.” Psalm 141:1.
When I turned my calendar to the month of May, lament came washing over me. Lament that our graduates will have a “distributed” virtual commencement, lament that it is exhausting to be on Zoom calls for eight or 10 hours a day, lament for those who can’t be with family who are ill, lament that this pandemic continues to hit disproportionately the most vulnerable in our communities.
What do you lament on this day?
Lament is the faithful expression of our pain, grief, doubt, and fear to God. It is turning toward God in times of trial as opposed to turning away. It does not eliminate suffering, but it gives us a place to channel it—a refuge in the midst of hardship.
During these difficult times, I hope you are allowing yourself space to lament.
In the lament Psalm 141, verse 2 continues: “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.” I invite you to breathe in the midst of the frantic pace you are keeping. Breathe in the love of God; exhale all of your laments, exhale all that weighs you down, exhale all the work, worry, tension, turmoil, fears, and frustrations.
“God is our refuge,” perhaps especially when we are at our weakest. And if you find yourself too weak even to pray, know that together, as one body in Christ, others around the world are praying with and for you.
Strength and peace,
Robin J. Steinke, President
Luther Seminary