Hope
February 11, 2025

Scripture Focus: 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. (Lamentations 3:21; read entire chapter)

Introduction

Hope. It’s such a simply word. One syllable. Easy to say, but filled with possibilities, though perhaps sprinkled with a dash of uncertainty. Ever hoped something would happen? Ever had any of your hopes shattered? Hope is such a powerful, human trait that psychologists have studied its impact on individuals and societies. All the data point to a conclusion: without hope, humans will not flourish.

While it is universally recognized that hope is an essential ingredient to a life well-lived, the larger question concerns its source. The Enlightenment helped form the Western notion that, due to humans’ intellectual abilities to comprehend their world, and to respond to its difficulties with technological, medical, and engineering advancements, we can create for ourselves a bright future. Problem is, all such advancements can—and have—been used for nefarious purposes. We now have entered a period where such optimism in humanity’s capabilities have given way to skepticism and cynicism.

Given the skeptical trends in our culture, perhaps we can hear Jeremiah’s words afresh. Jerusalem had fallen to the Babylonians. He was there to witness the carnage. He saw the very best dragged to Babylon. And…he grieved. Chapter 3 appears to be Jeremiah’s lament as if he were Jerusalem itself. Bitterness. Gall. Humiliation. Downcast soul. And yet, he found hope in the truth of God’s character. During Advent, we are reminded that God entered and embraced our human condition. Genuine hope is rooted in the Christmas story.

Some Background

“Lamentations” is associated with the “writings” in the Hebrew Bible. While we don’t know with certainty who wrote the book, ancient Jewish tradition ascribes the book to Jeremiah. The title of the book in the Hebrew Bible is “Eichah”, the first word in the book. “Eichah” means “how”, and can be used both as an interrogative or an exclamation. It is an expression used in many of the Lament Psalms in which the psalmists wonder how long a time of suffering, or alienation will continue. To lament is to grieve, and to grieve deeply. And not merely internally.

The Hebrews would bring their laments to God, which was a courageous act of faith. The book of Lamentations is exactly that—expressed grief over the fall of Jerusalem, articulating the hurt, alienation, suffering—and hope—that attended that terrible event.

Questions

What did you hear in this morning’s message that stood out to you? What was interesting, important, or confusing?

When you think of the word “lament” what comes to mind?

How do we process deep grief in a healthy way? What do you do with the anger, doubts, and confusion that attends this process?

How can the book of Lamentations help to process experiences of deep loss, and feelings of abandonment?

Reflections

The book of Lamentations is a well-ordered poem expressing heightened emotions over the fall of Jerusalem. The first letter of the beginning word of each verse tracks with the 22 characters of the Hebrew Alphabet—something that is missed in our English translations. Also, scholars believe that the entire book of Lamentations is in the form of a chiasm–a literary device in which a sequence of ideas is presented and then repeated in reverse order. At the center of this structure is the emphasis of hope based upon the character of God—his anger does not last long and his mercies are always new. Whatever our understanding of suffering, God’s character is the foundation of hope.