O God, Why?

In the face of the devastation of the bushfires in Victoria and of the floods in north Queensland, we are confronted by the frailness of our humanity and the fragility of God’s creation. We are not the first people to feel this way. The scriptures are full of people crying out to God and asking, “Why?” This is an important prayer tradition in our Judaeo-Christian heritage.

Many psalms address God in this manner: "1Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!" (Psalm 130 NRSV) And we hear Jesus recite one of those psalms on the cross: "45 From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 46And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’" (Matthew 27 NRSV; see also Psalm 22)

God listens to our cries. God, indeed, wants us to be in open conversation with God. This prayer tradition offers the assurance that when we pour out our innermost thoughts to God, God hears and we find renewed comfort.

Kathleen Billman and Daniel Migliore (Rachel’s Cry: Prayer of Lament and Rebirth of Hope, 1999, Cleveland, Ohio: United Church) point to the ancient structure of such prayers of lament:
1. Address to God
2. Complaint
3. Confession of Trust
4. Petition
5. Words of Assurance
6. Vow to Praise

When practising this prayer form, it is very important that we don’t move on too quickly from (2) complaint. When our complaints are all poured out, the prayer should move naturally to a recognition of the God with whom we have been speaking (and sometimes even shouting). Trust God to hear your deepest thoughts and concerns, and to understand.