Widow of Nain: Job was not a Woman

Luke 7:11-17

Lord, you have given;
Lord, you have taken.
Like Job, I should
bless your name
anyway.
But the words
stick to my throat
and I can't speak them.

For Job
was not a woman,
not a widow
defenceless and alone,
dependent
with no one to depend upon.
He lost all he owned -
but not the pillars holding him,
for he was a man
and could stand on his own.

Lord, you have given
such wonderful years,
such a kind, loving husband,
such a beautiful child.
But why have you taken?
Praise should cross these lips -
they bring forth tears instead,
for I don't know how
to trust in you
when all my life
has crumbled away.

But what is this?
He holds my tears,
He takes my fears
and frightens them away.

You care, o Lord -
o Lord, you care.
I'm not a speck
of passing dust
to you,
my fate's not meaningless -
you do not look away.
No -
you bring hope,
you bring life,
unexpected -
and teach me
faith and trust again.

For the Lord hears
the cries of the afflicted
and has compassion
deeper than death.

______________________________________________________________

[28. February 2012]

Might not be so obvious in the poem, since I'm trying to show her feelings rather than what happened, but Jesus came and raised the widow's son back to life. :)

In those days, widows didn't have it easy. I tried to show that a bit... as well as the inner battle between knowing one should praise God, and the feeling of not being able to because of all the bad that's happened. I think there are times when our grief or our problems can make it hard to accept what's happened, and make it hard to trust in God. And I think in such moments, God knows and understands. Jesus came and changed things for this widow. Sometimes, He helps in other ways as well, by letting a kind stranger speak a kind word, or by sending people to give help and support...

I think when people are really upset, sometimes it's important just to let them vent. Like Job; he vented! His friends tried to argument with him, but in the end it was they who got told off, and not Job who was venting! The Psalms are full of venting! Compassion is more helpful than trying to talk people into accepting what happened or trusting God again. Compassion will convince them much faster to trust in God again. And compassion is what Jesus did, right here.

Don't throw doctrine on a grieving person - throw love on them instead.