[category devotionals]He said,
"Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."
Through all this Job did not sin, nor did he blame God. Job 1:21-22
It is quite the challenge to try to summarize 47 fascinating chapters in the book of Job into one condensed devotional! Every chapter deserves its own, which is why you must read the book for yourself. If you have never read the book of Job, I highly recommend it. Especially if you are going through a particularly difficult time. In life most of us suffer at times and often face extended trials. The book of Job is where I run to in scripture for strength and encouragement during those times in life. For the true child of God fiery trials will come as a form of testing, refining us, growing our faith, and allowing us an intimacy with God Almighty that comes no other way. There is much to be gleaned from the life of Job, and become acquainted with God in a deeper level of His sovereignty. It also reveals how evil satan is, and his hatred of the saints of God.
The second reason we face adversity can be because of sin, rebellion, and disobedience to God’s word. God disciplines His own and goes in after us within the miry pits we find ourselves. Or as with the prodigal son, He allowed him to learn from the school of hard knocks, and welcomed him with open arms and celebrated greatly his repentance upon returning. God cleaned him up and totally restored his relationship to Him.
We read about Job’s three friends who reached the same conclusion that Job must have sinned against God. They go to Job with intentions to sympathize and comfort him. We will find upon seeing Job from a distance they did not recognize him, covered in sores after losing everything but his wife, and being in chronic pain. The Bible tells us they wept bitterly with their heads toward the sky. They tore their robes and threw dust on their heads. They then sat on the ground with him seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him witnessing the great pain he was in.
Job’s wife at this point had told him to curse God and die. But don’t be quick to judge. Think what she had been through. She had lost all her children and her home. Now she is watching a very godly man suffer unmercifully. Her response was wrong, and Job told her how foolish she was. He asked her a question we all should ask ourselves.
"Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?"
But I don’t know that I would have done any better if I am totally honest. It is more difficult for me to see those I love suffer, than to suffer myself speaking as a mother.
The next thing we read is Job’s lament as he curses the day he was born. He wonders why he didn’t die at birth. He has not sinned willingly at any time in his life against God that he knows of. We all understand Job’s laments.
His three friend’s speeches are recorded in scripture. Eliphaz reminds me how easy it is to have faith when you are not the one in the storm. Job replies to each one’s accusations. You must read it for yourself.
Then a young man named Elihu can no longer stay silent after witnessing the confrontations between Job and his friends. He had refrained from speaking because he was young. But after the older ones had failed to convince Job, he felt compelled to speak. Elihu declared Job’s friends weren’t wise in spite of their ages for they had failed to convince Job his suffering was due to sin. Elihu doesn’t tower over Job, but humbly represents Job’s position accurately and rebukes him for charging God with hostility toward Him.
Elihu is a very impressive young man and a great example for us to follow. He has righteous indignation as Job accuses God. This angered Elihu greatly to the point he had to speak. He understood suffering is often the means of purifying the righteous. God’s purpose was to strip away all of Job’s self righteoness, and to bring him to a complete trust in God and His righteousness. Job’s hidden sin was self righteounsess.
As you continue reading you will find God speaking! I will share verses 6-8 in the 40th chapter:
Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm and said,
"Now gird up your loins like a man; I will ask you, and you instruct Me. Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?"
Have you ever committed the same sin Job did in your own life? I am not quick to judge Job. I have been there. I have been in fiery trials I did not feel I deserved. Mostly they were the results of someone else’s decisions and not my own. But God is sovereign, and He doesn’t have to give account to any man or woman. He is God, and He is perfect in all His ways. I have learned what Job did. In Job 42:5 we hear Job declare:
"I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You; Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes."
God is always right and just. He used what satan meant for destruction for Job’s good. He always does if we allow Him to. He got exactly what God intended, which was revealing His love to Job in a much deeper way. Job got a revelation of who God is to all of us, but so few ever know Him intimately. We refuse to yield in the fires of life to His will when we don’t agree or understand. Job regained His fellowship with God and was content with that, but God wasn’t. He is our Redeemer and Restorer.
Read the last chapter of Job very slowly and prayerfully. The friends had not spoken rightly concerning Job before God. God’s anger was kindled against them. God vindicated Job for all the enemy had been allowed to take from him. 42:10 reads:
"The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold. "
Look at the results when Job obviously forgave his friends and prayed for them.The rest of the chapter gives you a detailed account of the blessings that were bestowed upon Job the rest of his life on this earth.
Remember, no matter what — God is always right. I am reminded of how not everyone receives their rewards on this earth, but rest assured dear brothers and sisters God is always good. He is just, righteous, and holy. Most importantly He is love. What the greatest reward is in this life and the next to come is His love. Job recognized this after God had set him free from sin he didn’t even know he had, but God did. Trust in His love for you. After the truth was revealed, there was repentance and cleansing. Job’s relationship with God Almighty was restored and I believe He was totally satisfied with that. But God wasn’t, and wanted to restore all that was lost, and double the blessings. That is our wonderful Almighty God, our everlasting Father, our Prince of peace! How rich we are to belong to Him, and Him alone.
In His love.
Teresa Roberts
Masterpiece Fitness
276-237-6680
Beautiful early morning shots from a run up Fishers Peak. The Lord has always used mountains to speak to His own throughout scripture. He continues to today if we have eyes to see and ears to hear. My heart was filled to overflowing in quiet solitude!
