The Devotional - 31

The Devotional

Comment:

Taking a peek into my days as a teenager is not as easy as it used to be since much of it is clouded over with many circumstances that also contend for space in my mind. The newer circumstances by the grace of God are much more rewarding to think on, yet those older moments in time when the youngster scampered here and there are nice to reflect on. Remember, that is if you are somewhere near my age the movie theaters. The place, except for the voices of the actors was quieter than any Sunday morning at church. Once in a while you might hear a cough, a bit of laughter or a groan. In stark contrast; what about today’s movie house? The volume of the movie is so loud to cover the chatter of the audience that the ears take and injurious beating.

Challenge: Job 3:1-26

Now the above paragraph does not fully express the intent, but it does establish the understanding that silence, when silence is needed is absent in life today. The last sentence of Job 2:13 no doubt applies the right mindset of this seven day fast in silence, “no one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was” NIV.

By now you and I have forgotten chapter 1 of Job and maybe even the statement of Job’s grieving wife, in chapter 2, verse 9. “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” Yet the events for Job are grief and sorrow of being absolutely alone over the loss of family, wealth and health. We cannot fully understand his suffering and pain. Where can the mind or body find rest, it is for the very immediate moment lost in anguish, fear and hopelessness; note Job’s thoughts as he begins to speak.

Job 3:3 – May the day of my birth perish and the night is was said, “A boy is born!” These words were written around 1500 BC, this is 3,500 plus years ago but these words are as fresh as if spoken only minutes ago, surely there is someone going through a suffering moment. Surely this very moment the words of Job ring loud and clear to someone’s listening ear who are sitting nearby.

As Job continues, he calls on God to give no care for that day, to blot it out of His Story, to place the day and the event of his birth in the dark. To remove that day from the calendar and the year. The day should have prevented his mother’s womb from opening, or why did I not die at birth in order that I would not see the trouble and suffering of the living. Many of us have been close to this thinking!

He goes on to say that if that day had been struck from the record of life then he would be lying in peace, that he would be asleep and at rest. “O why was I not hidden in the ground like a stillborn child” he says in 3:16; “like and infant who never saw the light of day.” His mourning is total and healing begins when he begins to question why in verse 20.

“Why is light given to those in misery and life to the bitter of soul”? If you have been to this point in life where this question appears on front of your mind then you know bitterness and restoration of soul as Job did. Yet I fear that many of us do not comprehend this at all, since we are healthy and full of living. For the most of us our mind revolts at the fear of these things. Yet when the body of a person suffers loss and pain the thoughts of the grave do not bring fear, but instead offer peace.

 If you were one of Job’s three friends and listening to his complaint, consider your response. These three men were of little comfort to Job, even God was not pleased with their words. But the men were there and by being there they did reveal to Job their deep concern for him in their silence which was the best advice they gave in that their silence afforded the opportunity for Job to heal physically, spiritually and mentally as we shall see.