COLLEGE CHAPLAIN

How Long?

The reality of sickness and suffering found in the Bible is unique because it is found in the Bible. This reality is perhaps no more apparent than in the Psalms, a collection of poems and songs written by God’s people. The reason why the reality of the pain and anguish in these pages of our Bibles has a unique flavour is because of what the Bible claims about itself. 

The Scriptures claim to be the very words of God, with God speaking through the human act of writing down God’s words (2 Peter 1:20-21). The Psalms are peculiar then because a lot of them are confessions and appeals to God about how hard their life is and the unbearable nature of the suffering God allows them to experience. Yet for much of biblical history the Psalms have been used in public and private worship of God. The Psalms are the handbook for how to approach God in prayer.

So here is a bizarre blessing from our God, for people’s words about God are directed to him and God directs people to record those words about him, which he then gives to his future people to give back to him in prayer! There is a unique interplay of real and gritty experiences of suffering then being immortalised into divine wisdom for God’s people throughout the ages. The raw and visceral nature of the suffering of some ancient soul from millennia past is now immortalised as the living and active word of God, which serves to aid his people in all circumstances, suffering included (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

It was of great encouragement then to hear the ancient words of Psalm 13, a lament of King David’s suffering, proclaimed by a new generation of God’s people to a suffering world through the preaching of Meg Graham and Rebecca Scott this week. This pair of Fiery Fellowship Captains have been a blessing to the ministry of students to students here at the College, and I am grateful for their service. You can watch their message below.

Gareth Tyndall | College Chaplain