Laments

I Asked the Lord to Grow in Grace

/ Dennis Griffith / 4 Comments

This song comes from a beautiful poem by John Newton.  It is a powerful reminder to me about God’s grace and how God works.

Like Newton in the opening lines of this poem, I often ask God to grow me in grace and faith and the fruits of his Spirit.

I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek, more earnestly, His face.

And like Newton expresses in the third stanza, in my mind this is something noble and therefore should be experienced mystically, gently and painlessly:

I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He’d answer my request;
And by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Spiritual growth is easy, right? It should be automatic. Like sleeping, or breathing.  Certainly it should be no more difficult than eating, or learning to ride a bike or drive…

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Voicing Displeasure

/ Dennis Griffith / 2 Comments

Philippians 2.14 says: “Do everything without complaining…” 

I wonder if the Apostle Paul would make any exceptions for entertainment value.

Perhaps not.

But there is a growing trend around the world that is adding creativity to complaining. They are calling themselves Complaint Choirs.  Complaint Choirs are groups of people who blend their laments into humorous songs.  Most are then “airing” their gripes on YouTube.

The first complaint choir was established in Birmingham, England. Since then they have spread across Europe to Canada (the above video), the US, Singanpore, etc. New choirs continue to spring up around the world. 

Now a web site has been developed – Complaints Choirs Worldwide –  with a locator map to track these expanding groups.  The site even has a link that allows viewers to rate thier favorite choirs. 

NOTE: Listen to the NPR interview with a leader of the Helsinki Complaints Choir: Voicing Displeasure