Remembering and Lamenting-Psalm 44

We live in our world that is filled with darkness still.  Wars happen.  There are unfair causalities of war that are atrocious.  Genocide happens.  Babies die.  Gunmen come into churches where people are studying God’s word and open fire, killing faithful children of God.  Tornadoes rip through towns not discriminating between those who are righteous and those who are not, destroying whatever lives are in its path.  Tsunamis wipe out cities.  Earthquakes wreak havoc.  Jobs are lost unfairly.  Relationships end.  Drugs take over cities.  The list goes on and on.  It is easy to do just as the Psalmist ofPsalm 44 did and cry out where are you God?  Why are you punishing us God? 

            The Psalmist here remembers that God has been present with his ancestors through the ages.  He is able to recount all that God has done in history.  It is important for us to remember.  Right now the psalmist is experiencing the darkness of life and cannot understand why God is wreaking havoc on him and his people at the moment.  The Psalmist logically concludes that if God is the God of the good things that happen, God must be the God of the bad things that happen.  He believes that God is sleeping.  He cannot see where his people have gone wrong.  He cries out to God to wake up and to provide the same salvation now as God has provided in history. 

            We do the same thing don’t we?  We pray for a cancer to be healed and when it is we rejoice but at the same time someone else in our life is dying from cancer and the healing in this life does not take place.  It becomes uncomfortable to rejoice with the one because it feels like we are at the same time saying that God does not wish to heal the other.  Where do we point to God’s presence in the one who continues to suffer? 

            These are the questions of the Psalmist today.  I think that the beautiful thing about this psalm is it is honest from the gut.  While the psalmist is feeling this resentment and anxiety toward God, he doesn’t turn away from God but instead cries out to God in a deep and honest way.  Psalm 44 gives us permission to lament.  So, do it.  Cry out to God and say I cannot do this!  I do not understand!  Where are you?  Wake up God! 

            At the same time though, be silent long enough to listen.  God will reveal God’s self to you in powerful and mighty ways if you have the eyes to see and the ears to hear.  Friends our salvation does come from God.  The stuff that captures us, binds us and makes us doubt our savior come from the evil one.  Do not turn towards the evil one but turn toward God for the answers, for the comfort and for the strength to endure.  In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.