He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
(Psalm 103:9)
He will chide sometimes, or He would not be a wise Father for such
poor, erring children as we are. His chiding is very painful to those who
are true, because they feel how sadly they deserve it and how wrong it
is on their part to grieve Him. We know what this chiding means, and we
bow before the Lord, mourning that we should cause Him to be angry with
us.
But what a comfort we find in these lines! "Not always" will He chide.
If we repent and turn to Him with hearts broken for sin and broken from
sin, He will smile upon us at once. It is no pleasure to Him to turn a
frowning face toward those whom He loves with all His heart: it is His
joy that our joy should be full.
Come, let us seek His face. There is no reason for despair, nor even
for despondency. Let us love a chiding God, and before long we shall
sing, "Thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me." Be gone, ye
dark forebodings, ye ravens of the soul! Come in, ye humble hopes and
grateful memories, ye doves of the heart! He who pardoned us long ago as a
judge will again forgive us as a father, and we shall rejoice in His
sweet, unchanging love.
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