An entire book of...lament!!  

As we work through the Bible, one book at a time, we come to Lamentations.  It feels a bit out of place here, in the midst of the prophets, but we will get into that in the podcast.  More importantly, we will learn what this book can teach us today about lament.

I have not highlighted parts of the book to read, because you can easily read one chapter a day!

Questions for discussion

1.  What is your first response to hearing that the Bible has a whole book of lament? 

2.  What are situations in life where you've felt like you didn't know what to say, because there didn't seem like anything could be said?  Have you been in situations where people said something to you, but silence would have been far kinder? 

3.  How might you try to translate the poetry of Lamentations? 

4.  What are ways in which rituals or written words have provided you with great comfort in times of loss? 

5.  What has given you permission and access to depth of feelings, especially in times of sorrow, when it comes to a) Novels or stories  b)  Works of art  c)  Songs or pieces of music 

6.  Has writing, making art or making music ever helped you process grief? 

7.  How do you handle people who believe a situation is their fault, but it really isn't? 

8.  What is more likely for you to believe -- that God has forgotten you or that there is no God? 

9.  Have you ever demanded from God either justice or mercy? 

10.  What has helped open your eyes to the new mercies of God?