What Do We Do When We Can't Gather? Lament.

This is article four in a series of articles on the gathered church. For article three click here.

In this series, Ryan and I have briefly discussed the importance of God's church gathering and the primacy of the ordinary means of grace as we gather. Today though I want to address what we do when we can't gather.

As you are reading this, the local church has been asked by our government to temporarily suspend meeting together. We are about seven weeks into not being able to gather and I anticipate this will continue for some time.

We have established in our articles that while we are grateful for technology and God's providence in connecting us through technology using technology to stream worship services is not the same as being together. It is not what the New Testament had in mind for the assembling of God's people. What we are doing through technology is not corporate worship.

Every day I am sure you're tuned into the latest news regarding all things COVID-19. And right now, there are a lot of things we can't do. But as Christians, we need to ask 'what can we do?'

I think the Lord is teaching us something the American church is not well practiced in. I think the Lord may be teaching us how to lament. We can learn to lament from faithful brothers and sisters around us who have suffered much, but we are being given the opportunity now to lament a loss. Lament is worship. In fact, many of the psalms and much of the Bible is full of God's people lamenting and I'd like to briefly introduce one particular psalm (divided into two psalms) to you and give a few brief handles on how to lament.

Psalm 42 & Psalm 43

42 As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?”

4 When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
For the help of His countenance.

6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
And from the heights of Hermon,
From the Hill Mizar.
7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;
All Your waves and billows have gone over me.
8 The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me—
A prayer to the God of my life.

9 I will say to God my Rock,
“Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a breaking of my bones,
My enemies reproach me,
While they say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.

Prayer to God in Time of Trouble

43 Vindicate me, O God,
And plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man!
2 For You are the God of my strength;
Why do You cast me off?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

3 Oh, send out Your light and Your truth!
Let them lead me;
Let them bring me to Your holy hill
And to Your tabernacle.
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
To God my exceeding joy;
And on the harp I will praise You,
O God, my God.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.

These two psalms were originally one singular psalm written by the sons of Korah. What you need to know about the sons of Korah is that they were employed in the performance of temple music. They were worship music leaders. In other words, they worked at their local church and led God's people in worship through song. And these two psalms were written during a time these worship music leaders were isolated from their local church body. And because they were isolated from their church community, they began to feel isolated even from God and it's from this desperate place these psalms were penned. Now notice some of the phrases the psalmists use here:

When shall I come and appear before God? (42:2b)

My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?” (42:3)

When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. (42:4)

Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God. (42:5;11: 43:5)

Can you see some sort of parallel in what is going on currently? I've heard from many of you and I think you can identify with the emotions of these psalmists. These musicians look back at the days when they were gathered with God's church worshipping Him corporately. When these psalms were written the sons of Korah were prevented from worshipping corporately and it's taken a toll on them.

A toll on their spiritual health and a toll on their mental health.

My guess is that you are experiencing some of these effects. Anxiety is heightened. Depression is darker. Your fuse may be short. You may feel faithless and distant from God.

Today, I want to encourage you to follow the example of these ancient believers and lament. As I said, lamenting is worship. Lamenting is not the same as godless complaining. Complaining comes from a place of pride. Lament is humble and God-centered. Believer, you can lament your present circumstances in a way that honors the Lord and to do so is genuinely good for your soul and your mental health.

Lament as you recall those sweet times you were able to gather with the rest of the body.

Lament being able to touch and hug other believers.

Lament as you are prevented from admonishing each other face to face to remember the gospel.

Lament as you tell God how much you miss gathering and how much you want to gather again.

Lament of this sickness called COVID-19 and ask for the Lord's deliverance from it.

And sit and hope as the psalmist once did. Hope in God. You will again praise Him in the presence of your brothers in sisters.