When God Seems Foe
He has poured out his wrath like fire.
Lamentations 2:4 (NIV)
Lamentations records faith's hardest feeling: like enemies, He bent bows against us. God seeming foe — strung bows, poured wrath, razed Zion. Real feelings on bad days: closed heavens, unanswered prayers, unexplained judgments. Honest faith admits feelings sans canonizing them.
Purposes in judgments reveal Fathers behind bows. The same God disciplining restores; wounding, heals; seeming foe, corrects as Father. Lamentations ends supplicating, never apostatizing: make us return. Divine purposes use bows for homecomings, never permanent estrangements. Fatherly bows aim restoration.
Returning over fleeing today, when God seems foe: confessing, weeping, waiting. When God seems foe: Fathers remain Fathers.
Paternal bows fire disguised mercies. Trusting today, returning. Apologetic arrows aim restorations, never ruins. Receive corrections as disguised hugs today. Paternal disciplines ache healing always. Return weeping, be received celebrating. Comeback feasts await repentant prodigals. Celebrate others' returns sans envy. Apologetic arrows heal; accusing arrows harm. Welcome both wisely. And remembering afterward: bow days turn embrace testimonies. Remember mercies daily. Past bows predict future hugs. Weeping turns dancing. Recall faithfulness often. Testimonies comfort sufferers. Share stories bravely and often. Comfort others tenderly. Weep now, laugh later. Trust bows bend. Embraces follow soon.