Shirin McArthur

Dear friends,

There’s a lot of crying out in today’s lessons. The Israelites cry out to Moses in the desert because they are thirsty and have no water. The psalmist cries out to God in pain and distress, begging to be heard and rescued. Two blind beggars hear that Jesus is passing by and cry out to him to be healed.

Scripture is full of people in trouble, in pain, and in need of healing and wholeness. The good news is that scripture is also full of God’s loving response. When the Israelites cry out, God gives Moses instructions on how to access water. The lamenting psalmist remembers how God has acted in the past, and finds hope in the midst of challenging times. Jesus responds with compassion and healing when the blind men cry out for his help.

When was the last time you actually, literally cried out to God, or to God’s representative? When did you last shed tears in God’s presence? In this season of pandemic and turmoil, the idea of lament is regaining traction. There was a National Day of Mourning and Lament on June 1, marking the deaths of 100,000 Americans from COVID-19. Laments have been written after many racially motivated killings, and more are being written now.

When we lament, we freely express our grief and sorrow, rather than holding it in or denying it. When we cry out to God, we acknowledge that all is not right, and that we need God’s help and guidance to set things right. When we lament, we let go of our need to be right, to be in control, and to have everything perfectly worked out.

And it is then that God can be heard.

Will you join me in a lament today?

Shirin McArthur
More of my reflections can be found on my blog.