This is our last day of lament!! Next week, we will sing all the happy songs!! Today, we are back with the apostle Paul. Last week, we read his personal lament (Never been Unloved). Paul thought through his list of sins, and cried out "What a wretched man I am!! But thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" He followed the general pattern of Deuteronomy 26--He cried out to God with a list, then returned with a praise to the only One who can help!
Today, Paul is praying and lamenting for his people, his community--the Israelites. He's following in the footsteps of Moses, another famous Israelite leader.
Moses had been on the mountain, receiving the Ten Commandments and other important civil and moral laws. While he was gone, the remaining Israelite camp--under the leadership of Aaron--decided to take worship into their own hands by building a golden calf. They used jewelry and gold given to them by God's sovereignty by their Egyptian masters. Aaron built an altar and declared a festival. The LORD was angry to say the least! When Moses confronted them, they said "We just threw our gold into the fire, and a golden calf came out!" 🤷 Moses brought punishment to the people, and 3,000 died that day. Moses said to the people, "You have committed a grave sin, but I'm going to talk to God for you"; he then returned to God and asked God to forgive their sins. If He won't, then Moses is willing to forfeit his own place in God's story on their behalf.
Paul echoed the great sorrow and unceasing anguish of Moses. Paul wished that he could be cut off from Christ and cursed if that meant his brothers and sisters would be saved. The Israelites have it all--the covenants, the prophets, the law, the temple, the promises. But all of this was pointing to Jesus and they missed it. And that breaks Paul. It breaks him enough to be willing to forfeit his own salvation for theirs, if that were possible. It is Paul's heart’s desire and prayer to God. So although this doesn't fit our typical pattern, it IS a lament! He is crying out to God, with all of Israel on his list, and returned with praise. (9:1-5 paraphrased) Paul's ministry was mainly to the Gentiles, which frustrated the Jewish people to no end. But Paul HOPED they would get jealous enough to want the salvation he preaches!!
Lament is a desperate cry of grief, sorrow, regret. It’s a desperate cry for help. Are we willing to lament for our friends? Are we so committed to their salvation that we would, if it were possible, be cut off from Christ and the benefits of being called His own in exchange? Jesus Himself said "No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends." Words can't say what love can do ! We bring a prayer list with every medical need, (which is right and good), but how often do we pray as though it's our hearts' desire that others be saved? Moses asked God to mark his name from the book and write their names in his place. God reminded Moses that He--God-- alone is in control of the book, His job is just to lead the people to the place God told him about. I want to be intentional about crying out to God with a list of my friends and family in hand, and then be ready to lead them to the place God has shown us—to the finished work of Jesus Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment