Rev. Joel Benson

Grace and peace to you all. Psalm 22 is a personal lament — a loud expression of sorrow, even anger, for what has happened, directed at God.

Psalm 22 begins “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest.”

Sounds familiar doesn't it? Fits for where we might find our own thoughts, prayers and feelings during these days of a pandemic, right?

Psalm 22 begins with words that sound familiar to Christians because they are the words that Christ utters from the cross, in Matthew and Mark's gospels. They also sound familiar because I have heard and maybe you have expressed words of lament about how things have changed and when is this pandemic and its restrictions going to end!

I imagine many health care workers and their families have expressed words of lament. This kind of open, honest dialogue with God about our frustrations and fears, our laments, is a part of our relationship with our God.

In verse 24 the Psalmist acknowledges that God did not hide God's face, but heard the laments, our God is listening.

I have needed to vent my frustrations, anger, and disappointment that I cannot gather with my sisters and brothers to worship, do the things I normally do and now take on tasks I don't normally do.

As I have done those things, God has listened to me in prayer and through Mindy, my wife, and friends who have listened. God is listening.

This past Holy Week and Easter was one we won't soon forget. For Jews and Christians alike, we normally gather in worship with our sisters and brothers during the week to hear the stories of our deliverance and our redemption — stories that are central to our faith.

But not this year.

The Psalmist laments, but there is more, in verses 20 and 31, the Psalmist reminds us that we have been “rescued,” we have been “delivered.” God has done this.

We will remember this most recent Holy Week and Easter for what did not happen.

But may we never forget, God is listening to us now and we have been redeemed, rescued and delivered.

The Rev. Joel Benson is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Butler.