Desert Song – Brooke Fraser

Lament is not an easy topic, not easily pigeonholed. And, everyone’s story of sadness has a different edge – it’s personal. Take the story told by Jill McCloghry, which is the background to the song she and the composer of “Desert Song”, Brooke Fraser, have sung. She tells it for us in her own words, so see the link below. If you don’t have it, some key thoughts she shares include the feelings she had – that she felt her deep hurt in the wake of the death of her infant son covered up, for a time, her appreciation for God’s presence as she sang. But, she continued to sing anyway.

Jill McCloghry and Brooke Fraser were in pretty exclusive company as they mourned musically – biblically, only David composed a lament to mourn the death of someone close (Saul and Jonathan, 2 Samuel 1:17-27). And, he taught it to others around him. As Brooke Fraser tells her side of Jill’s lament, you can hear her pride for her friend, in her endurance and courage. Jill’s story, like David’s, moved others nearby to join in. Brooke was edified watching Jill, and so she poured something out in response. And, finally, Jill re-experienced the sense that God was indeed there as she worshipped Him in song. Hmmm – almost like something on another level was involved in this pain/composition/praise refrain, huh?

No one can argue with someone’s story of distress. The psalmists struggled and agonized, even David, the ‘man after God’s own heart’ (Acts 13:22). So, don’t be afraid to be sad, maybe even to stagger for a time. Don’t be afraid to yell at Him too, and often. The enemies are unrelenting – David complains most frequently because of his physical enemies’ tirelessness. Blessedly, God is also tireless, even while listening to all my bellyaching, and yes to my deep sorrow too. That’s what I’ve learned from reading the Bible’s laments today. He’s still here, even as he was for David.

See the link below for the video re-telling of this story (Jill McCloghry recorded this song with Brooke Fraser, the composer, and provides the ‘lament’ story as its background). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9YQeJQXgfY