Reflection: Walk: Lamentations: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions 

    1. When did you feel driven into darkness--into affliction--into a sense of "against me alone"?

    2. Did you believe that God purposely sent you? Why? Why not?

    3. How do our reactions to darkness affect us when we believe that God is making us walk alone, or is walking by our side throughout?

Share: What promise from the Lord helps you cling to His light?

Walk: Lamentations: Prayers and Poetry

 Reading: Lamentations 3:1-3: "... He has driven me and made me walk In darkness and not in light.  ...".

Walk

In all our times of darkness, Lord, You have been with each one of us. Especially in times when we remain so angry at You that we would not listen, or accept Your truths.

And the darkness still comes.

But now we know that You are always present. And we need to keep on walking daily, sometimes one step at a time.

Holding on to Your hand. Holding on to Your words in our hearts and soul every moment.

Thank you for holding on to each one of us--to being with each of us--in all circumstances.

May we focus on Your living light even in the darkest places.

Your thoughts,

Stands: Lamentations: Prayers and Poetry

                Stands

                She stands now

                before each watch

                pouring out her heart

                for her dying children

                faint from hunger

                perishing under famine

                of body and soul

                separated from God

                their protector by

                her actions.

                She stands now

                pleading His mercy

                upon their future

                upon His promises.

                Hands raised high in prayer.

                She stands before each watch.

Psalm 37:9:"For the wicked shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land."

Reflection: Wail: Lamentations: Prayers and Poetry

Reflections Questions

                1. What can happen to our grief when we bury it?

                2. Have you ever hidden your emotions from yourself? What did it do to your prayers, your heart?

                3. In what ways can our suffering numb us to other's suffering, instead of exercising compassion? 

Share: Do you believe that God will redeem your "soul" in peace from the battle which is against me" if you ask? (Psalm 55:18)

Wail: Lamentations: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: Lamentations 2:19-22: "... Pour out your heart like water Before the presence of the Lord; Lift up your hands to Him For the life of your little ones Who are faint because of hunger...". 

Wail

Lord, there is so much hunger today in our hearts and souls as so many lies are distorting and blocking Your words. And twisting Your truths and Your mercy.

Please protect each one of us from believing in the false deceptions, especially our younger generations who may not yet have experienced real danger and consequences.

May Your Spirit speak into their hearts with Your heart to shatter the fabrications.

Show each one of us how to truly walk in prayer lifting us to You by Your Spirit. To live the life You choose for us and be Your children even in sorrow and grief.

Your thoughts,

Ruin: Lamentations: Prayers and Poetry

                Ruin

                She did not heed

                warnings given in

                abundance.

                Chose instead oracles

                filled with false

                blessings

                deceptive visions

                misled promises of

                fortune.

                Vast now the ruin

                exposed iniquity

                bountiful

                with fruit from

                forbidden tree.

Psalm 37:8: "Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret--it leads only to evil."

Reflections: Word: Lamentations: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions 

                1. Have you ever been caught by false advice, or false vision, which led you into wrong decisions?

              2. What voices of truth do you usually heed?

              3. Looking back, what warnings did you not heed? Why?

Share: How did the Lord break through your personal captivity and allow tears to dissolve your deception?