The Shadow Side of Faith

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2014.02.16 - Prayer 2014 - Leshia Knopf

The Shadow Side of Faith

Habakkuk, Romans 8

Leshia Knopf shares an honest and reflective sermon on suffering, lament, trust, and being angry with God. Leshia is a part of the Eucharist Church “Preaching Guild”, a student of theology at McMaster Divinity College, and has spent the last few months driving her mother back and forth to her cancer appointments.

Suffice to say, this is not an intellectual exercise.

Leshia draws from the (little preached on) prophet Habakkuk to present a way of wrestling with God that is both faithful and raw.

Jeff Wynands also lead us in songs of lament, including a remixed version of Psalm 137.

The music starts at 32 minutes.

The lyrics to the song are below:

If I sing it wouldn’t mean a thing

If I dance it wouldn’t prove a chance

If I shout it wouldn’t lift the doubt

But I will if just to trust

We sit in endless sorrow at this river of defeat

We hang our songs in sadness on this tree of memory

Our joys are shapeless shadows these foreign city streets

We’ve fallen prey to mockers and their morbid mockeries

These hands surrender function and this heart it stutters beats

Were I to forget mount Zion my lips would surely seize

The wreck and rubble of a promise now dust upon our feet

We pray the same for the infant of these wretched godless deeds

If I sing it wouldn’t mean a thing

If I dance it wouldn’t prove a chance

If I shout it wouldn’t lift the doubt

But I will if just to trust…

Your will is enough oh God

Father this city’s cursed but you bless it with your name

Oh son this home is exile but you make it all the same