Podcast Adventure 2

My next two subjects are a sermon on Lamentations and a topical message on God's providence. More so than the first time, both left me a bit unsettled. Together, well, I'll get to that later. The point is blah blah blah, I was unsettled. Twice.

The message on Lamentations had my hopes up as I'm always up for digging into the Old Testament books, especially the difficult passages. Lamentations is definitely one of those.

The speaker introduces the narator, a warrior, and a woman of ill repute (Israel personafied). While this is a book about asking "how could this happen" with the answer that Israel was unfaithful to God, He is mentioned briefly in the book. Like in Ecclesiastes, there seem to be more questions than answers.

The speaker makes interesting points, like where the woman's name changes for the better, and the other two even weep with her. It's true that followers of Christ need to abandon negative labels and weep with those who weep, especially those who need compassion more than reminders of how bad they are. But there is more hope than that, and books like Lamentations point toward the need for it. It's not specifically mentioned in that passage, so fair enough. Still, leaving it with "there's something divine in listening to others and showing compassion" and leaving it there is true but only partially so. I can't throw this out, but I can't accept it fully either.

The second message was on God's providence, which I believe is true. God is in control, even when we can't see it. However, this message seemed to say "You can see it, and if you think you can't you're wrong." For a moment I wondered, okay, did you even read Lamentations?

The speaker shared about a train wreck he experienced. He was awakened and even flew through the air and hit a wall. He ended up wandering his way out and finding his way with many others to a hospital named (wait for it) Providence. He almost giggled at that point, which is strange in such a heavy story. Still, it's a good point.

People later asked him if this affected his theology any. No, he insisted, it only confirmed what I already know. I have no doubt, and that's great, but isn't something missing from that as well? When he was flying through the air, was he thinking "God is so in control. And by the way, wheee!" Is it so wrong to be honest and say "I panicked (or even [gasp] questioned) for a moment, but in the end God is even greater than our emotions?"

Lack of complete truth is, as I said before, unsettling.

This brings me to a third message, also on Lamentations about what angers God. There's a reason the actions God took leading up to the book had to happen. So what is it? Injustice in word and deed. How we treat others, no matter who they are.

There's a sense of hope in asking God about our role in all of this as well. Yes, He is in control, even when we can't see it. But we can't forget, He has steps for us to follow in obedience as well.