Monday, January 28, 2008

Life Lament

“I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins.” (Psalm 102:6 CSB)

In your mind, picture a heap of rubble. This rubble is from the stones of a building, torn down and strewn all around. On top of the rubble, see an owl perched, sitting alone, with feathers ruffled by the wind. The owl is light brown in color, almost the color of the stones, making it nearly invisible. Only the occasional blinking of an eye tells you it is not a stone you are seeing. The only sounds are the wind and the owl’s occasional mournful hooting, for he is completely alone among the ruins.

That is what this psalmist felt like. The psalmist spoke of his affliction, and how it appeared to him that his life was being cut short in “midcourse.” He felt as though his days were like vanishing smoke, or withering grass. His food was ashes, and his drink was tears. He felt that God’s indignation and wrath were the source of his affliction. He lamented the brevity of this life. At the same time, though, he celebrated the eternity of God and the fact that God would raise up one generation after another to continue the work of His kingdom. He expressed his belief that God would have compassion on Zion.

This is pretty much all we know about this psalm and the writer. We do not know what happened to him beyond this. But he helps us to learn something.

We may sometimes feel that the Lord has brought some kind of affliction our way. Based on the teaching of Scripture, we would have to say that this is at least a possibility. Another psalm writer said, “In righteousness You have afflicted me.” He believed it was right of God to do so, because God always does what is right, whether or not we understand it. Our measure of what is right and what is not is not the one that counts, because “My ways are not your ways,” said the Lord. We cannot comprehend all the ways and works of God.

It is also true, however, that God may not necessarily always be the source of some affliction we suffer. It may be that God allows it to come into our lives. It may also be that an affliction comes as the result of some action we have taken or not taken. If someone runs a red light and in an accident kills someone you love, that does not mean that God is the author of that affliction. The driver of the other car is the one responsible. And if a doctor tells you to take a medication that can save your life and you do not, the doctor is not the one responsible for the affliction that ensues.

Sometimes it is clear that the source of an affliction is the Lord himself, but there are also times when this is not clear at all. So, what do we do? We do the same thing this psalmist did: we go to God, we express our fears, our hurts, our concerns, and our laments, but we also end up in the place of faith, and hope, and love. We end up there because we come to the full realization that our God is a loving God, an awesome God, and that His eternal purposes are going to prevail. And we have been privileged to be part of His purposes, whether this life continues or not. And we will reign with Him forever and ever.

Lord, Put life and death in the right perspective for us, and help us today to live life fully, trusting all of it to Your purposes. Amen.

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