Prayers in Pain and Trust – Psalms of Lament
“To cry is human, but to lament is Christian.” Mark Vroegop, author of Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament (Crossway, 2019) writes from personal experience that in the midst of sorrow and loss, biblical lament gives voice to his grieve and pain, but at the same time affirms the trust in God who is faithful and powerful. In these circumstances, “Lament stands in the gap between pain and promise.” Therefore, Vroegop strongly encourages Christians to learn to lament, to recover this much neglected dimension of the Christian life.
Among the 150 psalms in the Book of Psalms, one-third to over one-half are laments. Some are personal lament, while some are corporate lament. These are prayers of people in distress, honestly raising questions, protests, or complaints to their God, who is in a covenantal relationship with them. Through our study of selected Psalms of Lament during the Lenten season, we will hear their intimate wrestling with God, learn to express our grief and pain in the language of biblical laments, thus enriching our relationship with God as individuals and as a community of faith.
Expository Preaching:
Come worship the Lord on Sunday, and draw near to his mercy seat.
| DATE | PASSAGE | TOPIC | PREACHER |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/26 Lent 1 | Psalm 51 | “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love” | Mrs. Nona Leung |
| 3/5 Lent 2 | Psalm 39 | “O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days” | Rev. John Ngai |
| 3/12 Lent 3 | Psalm 79 | “How long, O LORD?” | Rev. Allan Tan |
| 3/19 Lent 4 | Psalm 57 | “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me” | Rev. Allan Tan |
| 3/26 Lent 5 | Psalm 22 | “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” | Rev. Dr. Joyce Chan |
Small Group BIble Study:
Fellowships and House Groups will read the selected psalms in depth, share and learn to pray together.
All parishioners are encouraged to join small group bible study. Sign up on the bulletin board and the pastoral team will be pleased to connect you to a study group.
Lenten Reading and Prayer:
Reading and prayer are spiritual disciplines essential to Christian growth. Lent reminds us to be still before the Lord for self-examination and reflection. A suggested list of daily devotion and reading resources will be provided by the Church Library.