Book Review: Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop
Rating: 5/5
Summary
I read this book as I was beginning my sermon preparation on the book of Lamentations, and I cannot recommend it more highly to any and every believer in Jesus Christ. While it is not a straightforward commentary on Lamentations, it introduces a theology and practice of lament to modern readers, where this concept is sorely lacking. Even in modern evangelicalism that denies the false doctrine of the prosperity gospel, we genuinely struggle with the idea of lament. This book will help you recover that and it will genuinely prepare you to lament yourself and to guide others in it as well. Below I have highlighted some things I loved about the book.
Clear Biblical Teaching
The book interweaves sound exegetical teaching with compelling personal narratives, enabling the reader to deal with the sin-broken realities of this world. On a personal note, I needed a book like this to wrestle with all that my family has gone through in the last few years. This book shows how the Bible gives you the freedom not only to grieve and lament but also provides insight into how to do it well and with hope.
A Call to Pray Boldly
In the chapter on Psalm 22, Vroegop shows how we can pray boldly. "Pain has a way of awakening us to our need for God’s help. It shines a spotlight on our powerlessness to control everything" (p. 60). When affected by pain, we are enabled to tap into raw and deep emotions that affect us to our very core. God does not intend for that to drive us away from Him but instead to drive us back to Him with all those emotions, using them in our prayers.
A Call to Sing Your Grief
This writing beautifully encourages us to embrace the biblical practice of singing our laments. It reminds us that one out of three psalms reflect deep pain and struggle. The author thoughtfully questions the scarcity of lament in our modern worship, suggesting that our tendency towards prosperity, comfort, and triumphalism may be overshadowing a crucial aspect of our faith. By highlighting the importance of lament, he challenges us to reconsider our understanding of Christian suffering and the spiritual benefits of expressing sorrow through song. This reflection invites us to rediscover the power and necessity of lament in our worship and our lives.
Who Should Read It?
Christians who are grieving.
Christians who are comforting those who are grieving.
Pastors/Counselors
Top Quotes
Lament is the honest cry of a hurting heart wrestling with the paradox of pain and the promise of God’s goodness.
Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy (p. 26).
Lament can be defined as a loud cry, a howl, or a passionate expression of grief. However, in the Bible lament is more than sorrow or talking about sadness. It is more than walking through the stages of grief.
Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy (p. 28)
One out of three psalms is in a minor key. Just think about that! A third of the official songbook of Israel wrestles with pain. But consider how infrequently laments appear in our hymnals or in our contemporary songs. I find this curious and concerning. Could it be that our prosperity, comfort, and love of triumphalism are reflected in what we sing? Is it possible that our unfamiliarity with lament is a by-product of a subtle misunderstanding of Christian suffering? Don’t get me wrong, there certainly is a place for celebration and joyful affirmation of the truths we believe. But I wonder about the long-term effect if the contemporary church and its people consistently miss this vital dimension of Christianity. The number of laments, their use, and their message invite us to consider the value of this biblical song of sorrow.
Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy (p. 30).
Pain has a way of awakening us to our need for God’s help. It shines a spotlight on our powerlessness to control everything.
Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy (p. 60).