How does this poor thing stay alive! Then I thought, who could have done such a thing!? Some bored rich teenager who got archery lessons for his birthday, I conjectured.
Have you ever been pierced by an arrow? Certainly, we make decisions in our life which we have "shot ourselves in the foot." I have a friend who did not leave his job well. He figured, I have a new one only to be let go a couple of months later. He wanted his previous job back but he shot himself in the foot.
We have friends who pierce us. Perhaps they broke trust when you shared in confidence. Or, perhaps, the friendship has no reciprocality.
In the spiritual life, we have an enemy called the devil. Ephesians 6:16 states, "In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan." Immature believers often give the devil too much credit while neglecting their own responsibility of sin while others live life oblivious of a fallen angel who wants to destroy them.
Suppose the arrow did not come from one any one of these sources. There is another option. Suppose the arrow came from God. I am not saying that God is cruel or evil. I am saying he has his intended purposes. Look at these Scriptures below:
Job 13:15
Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him. . .
Psalms 44:17-19
All this happened to us, though we had not forgotten you or been false to your covenant. Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path. But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals and covered us over with deep darkness.
If God does sling arrows at his children, then two questions arise. Why? And how I am to understand if the arrow is from God or from the devil?
To be continued. . .
Just so you know, I am reading, I am reading...
Posted by: Bennett | Saturday, September 02, 2006 at 03:24 AM