Forever and ever amen.

Today I've got somewhat of a two part devotion today, I'm going to continue in 1 kings chapter 9 but I've also got it on my heart to explore the Lament side of worship.

In 1 kings 9 we see a little more of the happenings of Solomon. The chapter starts off with a conversation with God. This is the second time that God actually appears to Solomon, God says that He has heard his prayer and continues to give a warning.

1 Kings 9

The LORD Appears to Solomon

1 When Solomon had finished building the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do, 2 the LORD appeared to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 The LORD said to him:
"I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
4 "As for you, if you walk before me in integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, 5 I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, 'You shall never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.'

6 "But if you [a] or your sons turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you [b] and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. 8 And though this temple is now imposing, all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff and say, 'Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?' 9 People will answer, 'Because they have forsaken the LORD their God, who brought their fathers out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the LORD brought all this disaster on them.' "

Well what can you say, God keeps his promises.

Which leads me to the darker times of Israel, the books of lamentations and the later prophets really show what it is like to be separate from God. Because Solomon had went after other Gods, the Lord rejected his throne and the outlook for Israel was bleak to say the least. There was a deep dark cry that emanated from the hearts of Israel. The dire cry of a people who have been crushed, stripped naked, and left homeless. Through this cry we see books of the bible like Lamentations and all the later prophets. There are songs that you feel the turmoil and pain. How often are we apt to really tell God exactly how we feel? How often in church have we sung this song:

Lamentations 1:20


20 "See, O LORD, how distressed I am!
I am in torment within,
and in my heart I am disturbed,
for I have been most rebellious.
Outside, the sword bereaves;
inside, there is only death.

nice encouraging song eh? Or how about:

15 Joy is gone from our hearts;
our dancing has turned to mourning.
16 The crown has fallen from our head.
Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 Because of this our hearts are faint,
because of these things our eyes grow dim
18 for Mount Zion, which lies desolate,
with jackals prowling over it.
19 You, O LORD, reign forever;
your throne endures from generation to generation.

In most churches that I've been at, people are more apt to sing You've turned my mourning into Dancing rather than our dancing has turned to morning. What happens though if we don't get a real grasp for what's going on in the church we may be forcing people to sing songs of joy when really they are breaking inside. It seems that by admitting to the hurt or pain people feel we are somewhat of less faith or lacking the strength of the Lord (the joy of the Lord is our strength). In contrast though, over half the psalms are songs of lament, you here lines like Why have you left me God? and why have you forsaken me? I guess we want the church to be as encouraging as possible. There's nothing wrong with encouraging someone to see the light at the end of the tunnel but if we insist that they move on without them really dealing with the issues is setting them up for a later fall. What I refer to is the picture up top, this is a fall bulb that grows in the darkest of dirt. Without that dark nasty filthy dirt that flower would not have the sustenance to grow. The dark times were necessary in the life of Jesus to produce the everlasting gift that we know as salvation.

So my prayer is this, let me worship in spirit and in truth. If the truth is that things are bleak help me find a healthy way of expressing it and pouring it out to You God.

19 You, O LORD, reign forever;
your throne endures from generation to generation.