Lamenting the Current Turbulence of the Sinful World
Current world situation leaves us not knowing what to say—except, “How long, O Lord?”
We live in a deeply troubled world. Proxy wars are increasingly being used to advance underlying geopolitics, national and/or personal interests and struggles for power. Diplomacy speaks with high moral ground about peace and human rights while foreign policies are frequently driven by ulterior motives, having no regard for the same. Those in authority make decisions based on personal pride, ambitions and/or political survival, while the enormous human cost is borne by people who have little or no say in those decisions.
Cities are bombed into rubble. Populations are displaced. Children lose their parents. Parents bury their children. Millions of people die from shortages of food because famine is used as a weapon. Some analysts warn about the risk of deploying tactical nuclear weapons in the Middle East and Ukraine wars, when warring nations have no other way of getting out from a losing position.
What can Christians do in this situation?
We can lament. Lament is not just being pessimistic or venting frustrations. It is what happens when faith looks honestly at a broken world and brings its grief into the presence of God. The psalmists lamented. Jeremiah lamented. The writer of Lamentations looked upon Jerusalem's devastation and cried out to God. Christian lament is different from despair. We lament because we know that sin has corrupted God's good creation—and we trust the God who is faithful to His covenant will ultimately make all things right.
We too can call out, “Lord, indeed the ‘the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.’ (Jer 17:9), but this is not how humanity, which you have created in your image was meant to live. Lord, have mercy on us. Save this world for your mercy’s sake.”
We maintain hope, “because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lam 3:22–23
When we see hypocrisy in the current political arena, let us guard our own hearts from hypocrisy. When we see hatred between nations, let us ask God to preserve us from hatred. When we see the suffering of the marginalised, let us ask God to fill us with compassion. We pray. We grieve. We remember those who suffer. We make peace whenever we can.
The world is turbulent. Frequently, we do not understand what God is doing in apparently allowing evil to prevail. But we can still trust who God is. So let us lament— let our lament become prayer, our prayer become trust, and our trust become hope.
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為罪惡世界當前的動盪哀嘆
面對當今世界的動盪的局面，我們黙然——只能說：「耶和華啊，要到幾時呢？」
我們活在一個深陷困境的世界中。超級強國假手小國進行傀儡戰爭來獵取背後的地緣政治目標、其國家及／或個人的利益，以及在權力爭奪的上風。外交表面上談論和平與人權，站在道德高位上，但實際外交政策卻常常受隱藏的動機所驅使，對和平與人權置若罔聞。掌權者往往基於個人的高傲、野心及／或政治利益作出決定，而龐大的代價，卻由那些在這些決定上沒有發言權的人來承受。
都市被轟炸成為瓦礫。人民被迫流離失所。孩子失去父母。父母埋葬自己的孩子。數以百萬計的人因糧食短缺而餓死，因敵方用饑荒作為作戰的武器。有政治分析家警告，當交戰各方在戰局不利、又找不到出路時，中東及烏克蘭戰爭存在動用戰術核武器的風險。
在這樣的處境中，基督徒可以做甚麼？
我們可以發出哀歌。哀歌並不只是悲觀或發洩心中的不滿，而是當信心誠實地面對一個破碎的世界，並將其中的悲痛帶到神面前。詩篇的作者曾經哀嘆；耶利米發出哀歌；《耶利米哀歌》的作者看見耶路撒冷的荒涼，也向神呼求。基督徒的哀嘆與絕望不同。我們之所以哀嘆，是因為我們知道罪敗壞了神美好的創造；但我們仍然信靠那位守約、信實的神，深信祂最終必使萬事歸正。
我們也可以呼求：「主啊，誠然，『人心比萬物都詭詐，壞到極處。』」（耶 17:9）但這並不是祢按自己的形象所創造的人類應有的生活方式。主啊，求祢憐憫我們。為祢的憐憫拯救這個世界。」
我們仍然持守盼望，因為：
「我們不至消滅，是出於耶和華諸般的慈愛；因祂的憐憫不至斷絕。每早晨，這都是新的；祢的誠實極其廣大。」
——耶利米哀歌 3:22–23
當我們看見當今政治舞台上的虛偽，讓我們謹慎保守自己的心，不讓自己陷入虛偽。當我們看見國與國之間的仇恨，讓我們求神保守我們的心，使我們不被仇恨充滿。當我們看見弱勢及邊緣群體所承受的苦難，讓我們求神以憐憫充滿我們。我們禱告。我們與人同哀。我們記念那些正在受苦的人。我們竭力在能夠做到的範圍內促進和平。
世界正處於動盪之中。很多時候，我們不明白神正在做甚麼，也不明白為甚麼神似乎容讓邪惡得以盛行。但我們仍然可以信靠神的本性。因此，讓我們學習哀歌——讓我們的哀嘆成為禱告，讓我們的禱告成為信靠，讓我們的信靠成為盼望。
Rev. Christopher Chan
