A common question found in the Biblical narrative is, "How long, O Lord?" In modern times, as God's people we have shortened that question simply to, "How?" It is both prayer and lament. It seeks answers, especially to the difficult questions of life and faith.

Over the course of our 40 day, 6 week journey through Lent, we will be moving from "Lament to Life," recognizing the peeks and valleys of our faith journey, and living into the hope of our Easter faith that while things are not always where we want or need them to be, on the other end, LIFE has the final say. For the first half of Lent, we will be spending time in the book of Lamentations. As Biblical scholar Adele Berlin states, "In the Hebrew Bible [Lamentations] is titled 'Ekah, literally 'How,' which is the first word of the initial verse, 'How lonely sits the city.'"

This shall be our focus this Sunday ... on "How?."

Even as we lament - even as we ask the question of "How?" we should be reminded that God is present in the midst of us. Do you find yourself lamenting? Do you find yourself separated from God, others, or even yourself? Join us in worship and along this Lenten journey. Perhaps your laments will be transformed into life-giving, life-saving praises of joy and love and peace!

1 How lonely sits the city
that once was full of people!
How like a widow she has become,
she that was great among the nations!
She that was a princess among the provinces
has become a vassal.
2 She weeps bitterly in the night,
with tears on her cheeks;
among all her lovers
she has no one to comfort her;
all her friends have dealt treacherously with her,
they have become her enemies.
3 Judah has gone into exile with suffering
and hard servitude;
she lives now among the nations,
and finds no resting place;
her pursuers have all overtaken her
in the midst of her distress.
4 The roads to Zion mourn,
for no one comes to the festivals;
all her gates are desolate,
her priests groan;
her young girls grieve,[a]
and her lot is bitter.
5 Her foes have become the masters,
her enemies prosper,
because the Lord has made her suffer
for the multitude of her transgressions;
her children have gone away,
captives before the foe.
6 From daughter Zion has departed
all her majesty.
Her princes have become like stags
that find no pasture;
they fled without strength
before the pursuer.