Daily Practices – Week 6 – Day 3
THEME: Living like Jesus means loving like Jesus.
GRACE: Lord, give me eyes to see others the way that You see them.
Settling in:
- In a journal, note the day, time, and place you’re sitting.
- Open with a few moments of silence. Rest, and breathe deeply.
- Complete the following sentence in your journal: Today, I feel ________________.
- Read these words slowly (aloud or silently):
The hearts of the people
cry out to the Lord.
You walls of Daughter Zion,
let your tears flow like a river
day and night;
give yourself no relief,
your eyes no rest. (Lamentations 2:18, NIV)
- Pause for a few moments of silence.
Practice:
- Choose one of the following practices.
Option 1: Lament – Reciting [5-30 minutes]
The practice of Lament has been largely forgotten in the modern church. This type of prayer encourages us to bring our honest sorrow, grief and anger to God, acknowledging the brokenness in our world and pointing out those places where God is frustratingly silent.
Many times, we cannot experience unity and healing without being truly honest about the depth of our pain and woundedness. Lament forces us to stop hiding our hurt and allow God and others to meet us in our deepest places of brokenness.
Open your Bible and slowly read through Psalm 12 three times. Notice the passion in the psalmist’s words.
Then answer the following questions in your journal:
- Why does the Psalmist cry out to God so passionately?
- Can you relate to the Psalmist’s anger? Where are you currently experiencing frustration with people who “flatter with their lips, but harbor deception in their hearts”?
- To whom does the Psalmist bring his cries for justice? What difference would it make if you expressed similar complaints directly to God, instead of to others?
When you are finished, read the Psalm a fourth time. Read it aloud if you are in a solitary place. As you do, use these words to express your lament to God. Make these words your own as you recite them prayerfully to God.
Option 2: Lament – Writing [30-60 minutes]
The practice of Lament has been largely forgotten in the modern church. This type of prayer encourages us to bring our honest sorrow, grief and anger to God, acknowledging the brokenness in our world and pointing out those places where God is frustratingly silent.
Many times, we cannot experience unity and healing without being truly honest about the depth of our pain and woundedness. Lament forces us to stop hiding our hurt and allow God and others to meet us in our deepest places of brokenness.
Take a few moments and read through several psalms of lament, noticing their passionate language and petition.
Individual lament psalms: Psalm 3, 5, 13, 22, 26
Community lament psalms: Psalm 12, 44, 60, 83, 123
Then, open your journal and write your own psalm of lament. Choose an issue that is currently causing you sorrow or anger, or an issue that you see happening in the wider community. Express that anger honestly to God through a short poem, song, paragraph, or even a picture. Be open and honest with God, he desires the prayer of a genuine heart!
- Summary: Write a brief summary (five sentences or less) of what you learned during your practice of Lament.
- Closing Prayer: Lord, give me eyes to see others the way that You see them.
Questions? Please email us at info@parishanglican.org
