Have you considered my servant Job?
Forewarning ~ I am going to make a duh statement. Sometimes life stinks! But why? Is the enemy attacking? Am I being punish for sin or is it just the result of sin? And perhaps the hardest question: Why would God allow such? The list of reasons for which we might ask these questions goes on and on. It may be finances, job, marriage, children, sickness, death of a loved one, depression, loneliness, etc. It is a long list that can sometimes make it hard to understand where God is in the situation. Sometimes the pain seems unbearable and often last for such a long time. But there is hope.
One of the greatest things about God's Word is that God has provided for everything we truly need to know. It might be in one of the unlikeliest chapters of the Bible that you will find immense comfort during a hard time. The book of Job. The Bible says that Job was blameless and upright. It says he feared God and shunned evil. It also says that Job had an amazing life. He was wealthy, great marriage, and had seven sons and three daughters. Life was good! Then everything changed. Job lost everything (wife, children, home, health, livestock)
The 7th verse says, "And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it." In 1 Peter 5:8, it says the enemy prowls the earth looking for someone he might devour and this is what he was doing. Would it surprise you to know that God asked if he had considered His servant Job? Now why in the world would He do that. Remember that Job loved God and likewise God loved Job. Also, remember that Job was blameless so it was not sin related.
The key is verse 42:5. At the end of this devastating time Job said, ""I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You." Can you imagine what it would be like to be able to say you "see" God? That you not only have mustard seed faith but that you have huge faith! Because God loved Job, He allowed him great suffering that he might see Him. God is all about having a relationship with us. He bends over backwards to show us His great love. He is a God who wants to lavish us. If life is really hard right now, then look to the one that is Holy but yet will show Himself to you. Here are some great uplifting verses:
"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." (Phil 4:19)
"Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy" (1 peter 1:8)
"The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you." (Deut 28:11)
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. " (Ephesians 1:3)
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding" (Ephesians 1:7-8)
"How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings." (Psalm 36:7)
Now sweet friend, I hope you have allowed these verses to wash over you. But also know this from Job 42:10, "And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. " So not only did God allow Job to SEE Him, but He also restored what he had lost even double. Praise God for He is so amazingly good to us and praise Him that He makes Himself available to us. May you see Him even today.
No comments:
Post a Comment