"The Psalmist's Cry" Series - Lent 2021

“The Psalmist’s Cry” Series Overview
When our hearts are breaking from grief, fear, anguish, or despair, we often conceal our true feelings. Our society tells us that all problems are solvable or manageable if we would try the right solution. In a self-help culture, we prefer to mask symptoms and call the mask a cure. But if we deny our pain, we lose the part of the gospel where we give up control and allow God’s mystery to unfold in our lives. With Walter Brueggemann as our guide, we will look at the Psalms as scripts of lament for those times when we need a way to cry out to God. As an honest expression of feelings, lament can help us discover the fullness of God as we let go of controlling or managing our way through life and trust in God’s healing.

February 17 – Ash Wednesday
HAVE MERCY ON ME: The Lenten season invites reflection and renewal. In Psalm 51, the psalmist trusts God for a fresh start.

February 21 – Lent 1
DENIAL: Jesus lived a fully human life that included joy and sorrow. In our polite society, it can be difficult to express the full range of human emotions. In Psalm 88, the psalmist cries out to God in a state of utter distress. He feels that darkness is his only friend. What pain are we taught to deny?

February 28 – Lent 2
FAITHFULNESS OVER CERTAINTY: When we fear losing control, we often grasp for certainty, which leaves little room for pain. In Psalm 44, the psalmist expresses a desperate loss of control and calls on God for help. In God’s promise to be with us, our pain and anxiety can be acknowledged, and we can trust a future of new possibility. What do you fear losing control over?

March 7– Lent 3
BREAKING THE SILENCE: Pain can be an agent of healing and growth, but we would rather rely on “painkillers” than deal with pain honestly. In Psalm 74, the psalmist gives voice to the anguish of his misfortune and appeals to God for relief. Who do you trust with your troubles?

March 14– Lent 4
IN EXTREMIS: We may not be in dire circumstances, but someone somewhere is. Empathy for the suffering of others helps us to experience God and our own humanity more deeply. In Psalm 137, the psalmist bitterly weeps for the oppression of his people. Whose sorrow or suffering stirs you?

March 21 – Lent 5
LIKE A DREAM: Pain is temporary. There is hope beyond our current situation because God is healing the world. In Psalm 126, the psalmist’s tears turn into shouts of joy as his circumstances change for the better. He awakes from a nightmare to a dream come true. How does God’s story give you hope?

March 28 – Palm Sunday
A CROWN OF THORNS: A crown of thorns signifies the reign of Jesus. As the Man of Sorrows, he is not unfeeling and remote but shares our suffering and grief. In Psalm 31, the psalmist turns to God in his distress with words that resonate with the suffering of Jesus. What does the cross mean to you?

April 1 – Maundy Thursday
A BASIN AND TOWEL: In a service economy, we are used to being served by others. In John 13:1-17, 31b-35, Jesus washes his disciples’ feet and turns the service economy upside down.