A Lament

A Lament: From Social Distancing to Union with Christ

From time to time I find myself face to face with a deeply broken world, deeply broken friends, and a deeply broken self. Lament giving way to hope, has been a soul shaping practice that has given wings to my thoughts flying heavenward. Please take your time and prayerfully enter with me into this lament.

O Lord, our enemy is invisible, a respecter of no one, and deadly. We cry out to you: The invisible God made visible in Jesus. To whom shall we go? You and you only have the words of life abundant, life without walls. We, your people, trust in you alone. We have come to know that you are the only One of God. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory. Who have we in heaven and on earth but you, Lord?

We’re only a few days into this crisis, Jesus, and we are weary already. We are made for intimacy. Social distancing is not sustaining to the way you made us. Restore our soul and bring a song of joy to our lips. Out of our sorrow, bondage and night, into your freedom, gladness and light, Jesus we come.

Shortly, Lord, and Lover of our soul, our burdens will be too heavy to carry. We come to you, burden-carrying Trinity, because in you there is eternal joy. We hear your voice saying: “Beloved, I am pleased that you’ve come. This is a one-stop burden carrying station. You are precious to me. We are joined at the hip. I in you, you in me, we in Abba. Your burden is ours. Burden-carrying is what we have done since the beginning of time.”

It’s a tiring ordeal this COVID 19. A household, and soon to be a dictionary entry: COVID 19, an invisible virus and enemy of human beings. My eleven-year old grandchild has made up a song about COVID 19 as other children in the past made up “ring around the rosies, pockets full posies… we all fall down.” Lord, have mercy! Christ have mercy! How long O Lord?

Out of our social distancing into union with Christ, Jesus we come to you. May this forced isolation lead us to a willing solitude where social distancing means a longing to be near to the heart of God and abiding in Christ in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. Always knocking, always seeking, and always asking God. Open and let me in. Let me be in you directing you in all you say and do… It’s a long time coming!”

“Learn from me, my child. Learn the rhythms of life with me. Build a new rhythm of life. I am gentle, meek, humble of heart. I govern life in gentle ways. My child, eternity’s life is coming near, it is in session. You are safe with me inside this kingdom of mine.”