Beyond the Weekend: Parables
The stories Jesus told and what they mean for your life today.
Why did Jesus teach in stories? Because the deepest truths about God are often found in the ordinary moments of life.
In the parables, Jesus takes everyday things, a lost sheep, a dinner party, a farmer planting seeds and uses them to show us what God is really like and what it means to follow him.
This summer, we’re spending seven weeks in the parables from Luke’s gospel. Whether you’ve heard these stories a hundred times or this is your first time, you’re invited to come and hear them fresh.
June 27/28–August 8/9
Lament
Read: Psalm 13 | Listen: Psalm 13
This year in Beyond the Weekend, journey through different biblical models of prayer—one each month. August’s focus is Lament: bringing our grief and struggle honestly to God.
How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? Psalm 13:1
King David wrestles with sorrow that refuses to lift. His enemies close in, and God feels silent. Day after day, a deep ache weighs on his heart, and he wonders if God has forgotten him. As king, David could easily hide his pain behind a strong image. Instead, he brings his raw, unfiltered emotions straight to God. He doesn’t wait until he feels better or finds the right words. He simply says what’s true: he feels alone, forgotten, and afraid. Even in this deep sorrow, David doesn’t run from God. He runs toward him with honesty and trust.
We, too, can bring our unresolved grief, confusion, and hurt directly to God. This honest prayer is called a lament—and it’s one of the most courageous acts of faith we can take. Lament says, “I’m not okay—but I still trust you.” Scripture shows a clear pattern for lament: 1) Turn to God with our complaint. State what grieves, confuses, or upsets us. 2) Request God to move, see, and answer. 3) Place our trust in God, before we ever see it resolved. That doesn’t mean we like or understand what’s happening, but we trust him in it. We don’t have to pretend we’re fine to approach God. We can bring him a lost opportunity, a hard diagnosis, a strained relationship, or a grief with no name. God welcomes our honesty and meets us in it.
TODAY: Write out your own lament using Psalm 13 as a guide. State your complaint, make your request, and declare your trust in God. Pray honestly to God and return to your lament throughout your day.
