Reflection: Wholeness: Lamentations: Prayers and Poetry

 Reflection Questions

         1. Were you ever mocked in school growing up? Or in public since? For what reason?

         2. Whether based on truth or lies taunts can pierce our 'inward parts'. How do you respond to them now as an adult?

        3. Do you think that God's truth can feel like being pierced when we recognize it? Why or why  not?

Share: What can make His piercing a hope instead of a bitterness?

Wholeness: Lamentations: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: Lamentations 3:13-15: "He made the arrows of His quiver To enter into my inward parts. .... ".

Wholeness

How often do we forget, or ignore, that before healing can begin the cancerous contents needs to be removed. In body, in thoughts, in memories, and in our soul.

The weakness, sin, and lies need to be identified. Brought out openly to see clearly.

Then through light and clarity we can recognize the hope to persevere. To follow the truth into His restoration.

Lord, please show us how to persevere through the decay and receive Your new path. To walk upright in Your wholeness.

Your thoughts,

Target: Lamentations: Prayers and Poetry

                 Target

                Continues to walk streets

                searching--praying for an end

                dreads each corner's turn

                empty of tears, only

                shadows left as target

                cringes before another blow.

Psalm 37:13: "but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for He sees that their day is coming."

Reflection: Worry: Prayers and Poetry

 Reflection Questions

                1. Do you ever feel like  your past sins are lying in wait to trip you up?

                2. What word pictures come to mind if you ever feel that God is waiting for you to stumble? Why?

                3. How does worry over unknowns build up anxiety and cause exhaustion?

Share: In Psalm 59 the psalmist declares that the Lord Himself brings the salvation and upholds by His righteousness? How does this promise offer comfort?

Worry: Lamentations: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: Lamentations 3:10-12: "...He has turned aside my ways and torn me to pieces; He has made me desolate.

Worry

Too often desolations seeps into our lives--our hearts--our thoughts even when we know You are still present.

And holding fast to You is the only way to survive it. Even if we try to ignore You out of resentment or grief. When we falter into self-centeredness You stay waiting.

Your light is present if only we would see it flicker ready to burst into a flame again. But our worry and fear and failures fight back to barricade our hope, our healing, our fresh highway.

Show us, we pray, how to keep walking with You regardless of our weaknesses and isolation. To listen to the whisper from Your Spirit and obey as You lead.

Moment by moment.

Your thoughts, 

Walls: Lamentations: Prayers and Poetry

                 Walls

                Her city now her prison

                walks the streets

                walled by pride

    

                haunting memories

                now chains gripping

                prayers, tighten

                not spoken

                powerless to climb

                away from past

                decisions.

Psalm 37:12: "The wicked plot against the righteous, and gnash their teeth against them."

                

Reflection: Ways: Lamentations: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions:

                1. What images do the words "no escape," "chains," and "blocked ways" evoke? 

                2. What walls have barricaded you in?"

                3. What walls have you built up against yourself? Against others?

Share: How has the Lord released you from them?