The Devotional - 44

The Devotional

Comment:

This past winter as many know the snow in our area was over four feet high, many were concerned for their homes and the roof. Damage could easily come to our homes and families, but we do not have the corner market on nature, God does. There are no areas in the world that are exempt from natural disaster. There is no such thing as mother nature or global warming, these are simply myths from the evil mind of mankind. God controls the conditions of the seas, the atmosphere and even the ground beneath our feet. God controls His planet earth and He does so by using Wisdom (His Wisdom), read if you will Proverbs 8, the entirety of this chapter speaks very wonderfully about this and if you have faith in God, the words of Proverbs 8 will bless you spiritually.

Challenge: Job 27-31

Proverbs 29 – Job continues his open conversation to his three friends. Maybe you have said similar things as Job does. We might use the term “The good ole days” and we might freely reminisce over those days that were calmer and more pleasant than the present. In our personal life and in our prime things seemed as if they would go on forever. The past was no different than the present and the future was as bright as the past, so day by day we just lived for the blessing of God, the family and the advancement of good friendship.

Today for many it seems different, like Job someone could find that their mind is searching over the days gone by and would say in the heart. Where is God, where is the Country of my forefathers, where are my children and we even may say; where is the future? As sickness and family crisis take control in families, suffering flourishes, men cry tears that rip through their heart and women lament over death and loss of loved ones.

This is the condition of Job’s mind, yet according to everything revealed about Job, he deserved none of the pain and suffering he is now facing.

Chapter 30 – Job continues his conversation and he focuses on the moment at hand and not his past. “But now people mock me; and the ones who mock are of the fathers whom I have in the past trampled underfoot. Of what use were these men to me? Mere bums they were, wandering about the wastelands at night, haggard by hunger and banished by their fellow man, thieves they were and now their children mock at my sorrow. (I wonder; could this thought of Job, be the cause of Job’s suffering, those who destroyed, stole his livestock and killed his children).

I know that God has unstrung my bow. Wow how I like that statement! Job feels although it is not true that God is the cause of his current weakness of health, wealth and loss, I like the term unstrung bow. Certainly many of us could feel weak in the face of suffering. Safety in life vanishes like a cloud and life seems to ebb away like the low tide. Job even feels the pain of a restless night. He equates his pain and suffering as a wrestling match with God. Job is tossed to the mud and crushed to ashes. Have you been there?

Job said he cries out to God, but God does not answer. This portion of Job 29:20-31 can and does bring me to the tears that flow as the writer records in verse 28 and here is the point of the matter. If you have not suffered over life, then Praise God! If you have suffered over life, then Praise God. Job says that his harp is at the present time “tuned to mourning and his flute expresses the sound of wailing!” if you have suffered in this manner, you also know the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, Philippians 4:6-7.

Also you have come to know and understand that whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy; to think and trust in these and the God of Peace will be with you through it ALL. As we continue through the book of Job, pick up on the thoughts of Job as he with the LORDS guidance works through his mourning. For Job, he trust God, it is his discipline to do so and this discipline is an attribute that is lost in many of today’s so called Christians.