Job 40:1 God then confronted Job directly: "Now what do you have to say for yourself? Are you going to haul me, the Mighty One, into court and press charges?" I've been convicted that I keep my friends and even family in the courtroom. But, I've never thought about keeping my God in the courtroom until I read this verse this morning. I do that when things don't go my way. Have mercy, O God!
Job 40:6 - God shows up in the eye of the storm where it's calm in the midst of the chaos. Job listens from his heart: "My ears had heard of You, now my eyes have seen You." God says in Job 42:8 that what was missing in Job's friends was that they were not honest with God like Job was. I think we all have to ask if we are being honest with God or do we think we cannot say the things that are already in our heart? Job prayed for his friends and the scales were lifted from even their eyes.
So what did the Book of Job stir in you? I was at a Dallas wedding last night and spoke with a twenty-something-year-old couple whose baby had died recently in their arms. As I watched the sorrow-filled genuine crocodile tears fall from their eyes in the midst of our wedding feast, I caught a glimmer and glimpse of Hope in Him to Whom they look. That's what Job stirred in me: God reveals Himself, the Great I Am, "not who you imagine Me to be. We talked about unexplained suffering. "Job learned he was not the prosecuting attorney nor I the defendant. God remains all-Powerful and all-Good in your darkest night and He is saying: Trust Me." God is removing the scales from your eyes so that you will soon see My Light. The Morning Star is visible when the darkness is deepest." 66 LL.
So what did the Book of Job stir in you? I was at a Dallas wedding last night and spoke with a twenty-something-year-old couple whose baby had died recently in their arms. As I watched the sorrow-filled genuine crocodile tears fall from their eyes in the midst of our wedding feast, I caught a glimmer and glimpse of Hope in Him to Whom they look. That's what Job stirred in me: God reveals Himself, the Great I Am, "not who you imagine Me to be. We talked about unexplained suffering. "Job learned he was not the prosecuting attorney nor I the defendant. God remains all-Powerful and all-Good in your darkest night and He is saying: Trust Me." God is removing the scales from your eyes so that you will soon see My Light. The Morning Star is visible when the darkness is deepest." 66 LL.
Sorry I got this up late. We were in Dallas at a wedding and a housecleaning cause we finally rented our home the day after it came out of foreclosure---whew. We left Dallas at 11pm and drove back here exhausted. I just can't do late nighters well any more. So here I am to write the last post about Job. You know, in the beginning of the book, Job was sinless. Not so. It was such an encouragement to me to hear you speak of your besetting sins in yesterday's post. Not because misery loves company. But to walk with friends who honestly take a look at themselves and the sin that so easily creeps up on us each day. Most people think maturity is getting that sin to go away. But as Job experienced, the more we see God, the more we see ourselves and our sin nature. It's a privilege to walk with you all who knows the wiles of the devil in his schemes. It's a privilege to walk with those who know confusion and fear and aren't afraid to say it and push through to trust Him. My love to you all as we close this unbelievable book about the Great I AM who has His Residence inside of you and wants more of you...and you are letting go and letting HIM reside in your own chaos and confusion and hope and dreams. Praying that HE causes the scales to fall a little more from all of our eyes.
ReplyDeleteJob hit me hard between the eyes, and at least a few scales fell. I have been Job's friends and I have been Job, to some degree, but watching the genuine struggle for understanding, the anger, the faith that Job would want to take his case to God. He was not sinless, and God didn't perform the way he thought he should, but He was still the God of the universe to whom he turned.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Job in this light before, seeing our powerful God give unexplained suffering such a dignified place in our transformation. It makes more sense. It feels more common. Why should we not suffer? Why should God send us through this world unscathed only to have a selfish self absorbed person He cannot use for Kingdom purposes. The picture is so much bigger, so much better than our little glimpses can grasp. I've so appreciated your honest struggles through Job. You've made me think. You've brought me to my knees in confession. You've given me pause to feel so honored to walk with each of you in these hard circumstances in Scripture.
Thank you once again, Bev, for your devotion, your sweet faithfulness, that brings me here each day. This walk is such a light and growing garden in my life. Thank y'all.
Since I am reading the Bible in a one year Chronolgical Bible...I read the book of Job very soon into the first of the year...66 LL gave me an entirely new perspective on Job and I can say that it gave me a new appreciation of Job that I had never had before. When I shared the thoughts out of 66LL with my husband, he actually looked forward to reading Job instead of dreading it like he always has in the past. As the scales fall of my eyes about myself, it has also taken the scales off of my eyes about others in the light of eternity and gives me insight into how to pray for them. I want to suggest studying the book Live a Praying Life by Jennifer Kennedy Dean...it has opened my eyes too...Annette is studying it this summer. It has blessed me so much along with the Bible and 66 LL....so thankful you got the house out of foreclosure and found a renter. God is good. Blessings Bev....Love Mary Lou
ReplyDeleteI had to look up the names of Job's daughters. I found this information to share:
ReplyDeleteJemima - "dove" - a symbol of peace
Keziah - "Cassia" - incense or a fragrance
Kerenhappuch - "the horn of adornment" - the outward beauty that comes from an inward character
Out of our brokenness, God brings beauty, peace, and a fragrant life that is beautiful to Him.
Suffering produces fruit for all those who persevere as the evidence of God's love.
I thought those were some interesting gleanings from the names of Job's daughters born after his suffering. If you think about it, instead of cursing God he chose to trust God. And in the fruit of that, he was doubly blessed. He knew that his trial had revealed God in a new way to him. He saw God's beauty, he experienced God's peace, and he was left with the pleasing, sacrificial fragrance of God. The inheritance wasn't just an earned inheritance, it was a blessed inheritance.
I will look for Job in heaven, right after finding my Jesus. I just want to thank him for the blessing his trial is to me today.
"Any hope of subduing [Leviathan] is false; the mere sight of him is overpowering." (Job 42:12 NIV)
ReplyDelete"...true faith is not something that runs along smoothly and efficiently. Rather, it has a built in tendency to fall apart at the seams. According to Paul faith regularly finds itself "hard-pressed," "perplexed," "struckdown" (2 Cor.4:8-9). The very fact that faith looks to a power beyond itself means that it is continually subject to loss of control. So if you're looking to get control of all your problems, forget Christianity. If you're looking for success, happiness, or freedom from pain, forget Christ. The way of Christ is the cross, and the cross spells weakness, poverty, failure, death. This is what stands at the center of this "system"; this is the door at which Jesus knocks. If you want to follow Jesus, give up any idea of trying to control Leviathan. If you want to follow Jesus, get it through your mind that you are going to suffer unspeakably at the hands of evil. Get that one little thing straight, says the gospel, and the rest will be smooth sailing." (quote from Gospel According To Job)
My sin nature: thinking I can make life work...control/pride. Then fear when I fail. Not pretty. But I believe in the truth of Romans 6:6 and Gal.2:20.
Larry Crabb says he hopes 66LL will help us see the "incomparable beauty God is creating out of some ugly material." (pg. xxi) Scales keep falling!
So glad to hear you rented your house, Bev!
FG
Such a joy to me to read your comments! Your heartfelt honest humble words as you walk in darkness knowing there's a Hand reaching out for you and you're grasping tightly. I just love it!
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