A Weekly Devotional – Endurance – Personal Meditation
Comment: Have you ever heard of a man named Elihu? His father was of the
family of Ram. Well if you have read the book of Job, you would know of him
like I do. Elihu waited in silence to speak to Job because Job’s three friends
were elderly and Elihu showed respect to the three, he expected them to help
Job in his suffering and loss. If you take the time to read this book you will
see that Elihu noticed that Job’s friends, even though they expressed wisdom
and knowledge of God, they failed to establish a clear cut personal faith in
God as they sought to assist or help in Job’s anguish. The first to speak;
Bildad judged that Job’s sons and daughters sinned and Job went along with it.
Second to speak ‘Zophar’ explained that Job had sinned and needed to repent. The
third ‘Eliphaz’ accuses Job of a lack of knowledge before God and that Job treated
God’s wisdom with folly. Thirty chapters (7-37) in Job reveal the misapplied knowledge
of God in these four men who sought only to comfort Job while he endure the loss
of family and health.
Devotional: Now there is a lot more laid out in the book
of Job than we have time for, so I have chosen to write about endurance; “Endurance
by Faith” and for this we will move to the Book of James 5:7-12. We do not know
the length of time that Job listened to his friends. Nor do we really
understand the suffering that Job experienced, but we do know that he was
patient and persevering. He, like the prophets of old are examples for us to
consider and follow.
All the false religious ideas
of God’s dealing with Job were hurled at Job and all of the accusations about
Job’s conduct before God are thrown in Job’s face, yet Job remain patient. While
Job grumbled over his circumstances, he did not blame God. The details of
living life are the result of living life fully and this happens while we wait
for the LORD’s return. God is Judge over all the earth. Believers understand this,
unbelievers do not.
God is standing at the door
of enduring life, He is waiting for you and me to cross over the threshold. Our
examples are men like Job and the prophets, not men like Bildad, Elihu, Zophar
and Eliphaz. God is compassionate and merciful, while some men who are performance
oriented are bitter. God’s plan for all His children is for us to receive the
blessing (crown) of endurance. While there is still time, I challenge all of us
to endure. Read the book of Job and be blessed. God has some very compassionate
words for Job, see chapters 38 through the end 42.
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