There is passion to lament beyond grief and sorrow. The book of Lamentations follows the book of Jeremiah in the Old Testament. The first verse begins with, “How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow is she, Who was great among the nations! The princess among the provinces has become a slave!”. Jeremiah is lamenting that the invading Babylonians have devastated Jerusalem because the people of Judah had forsaken God. The book is full of his sorrowful reactions around 586 B.C.. Only by Lamentations 3:17-24 do we hear about hope. Jeremiah knows that God is ultimately in control and will mercifully act for His people. Here are some snippets: “You have moved my soul far from peace; I have forgotten prosperity” – vs 17, and then, “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”, vs 22-23. We face challenges large and small but Jeremiah reminds us that there is hope in calamity. The Psalms bring comfort, the New Testament is full of hope but don’t forget the book about hope beyond lament.
