The Devotional - 33

The Devotional

Comment:

If integrity could be measured with a yardstick, how long would one’s integrity be? For most of us, less than an inch, while men like Job would fall off the other end of the stick! Denying the Words of the Holy One is as easy as breathing for many, but when Jesus Christ comes into one’s soul by the power of His gospel the integrity in that life will increase with God’s Word and the assisting Power of the Holy Spirit, John 16:5-16. Take the moment and read this section of scripture and allow God to sanctify your integrity and purify your daily walk. God has an intimate interest in you, He calls out to our/His (Ezekiel 18:4) soul continually. He gives us our needs, He forgives all of our sin and He loves us, 1 John 2:28 through 3:3.

Challenge: Job 6:1 through 7:21

Time does not allow me to fully express the thoughts of this wonderful book of Job. Even to read of Job’s integrity and seek to know more is exhausting. Now I did get a late start today so I cannot say that I have been studying since early morning, I was delayed about an hour, but if I took the time I think I need, this day’s devotional would never be published.

Can you and I not see that if we look at the personal thoughts and comments of Job chapters 6 and 7, can we not see ourselves in some area of Job’s thoughts? Suffering is physically heavy and Job begins his words of anguish to the ears of his friends by explaining the weight of his misery. If you have ever filled a bucket with sand and sought to carry it from the beach to your car, you just may make a rash statement or two – Job 6:1-3.

The intensity of pain and suffering warp our thinking, this does not mean that our integrity is warped so don’t misunderstand Job’s words here in verse 4, while he considers his pain and suffering (we do this as well), he considers that God is the cause. He says clearly that the animal kingdom complains when food is scarce and he says that even if available to eat, there are some things that are simply tasteless and cause nausea, personal integrity allows us to work through anguish.

His words are not cursing as one without a good integrity might assume, notice in verse 8 that he views his words as a request to God and not a complaint. God he says; “grant to me the request (the thing) I long for. What is that Job? “LORD would you crush me, would it please you to crush me?” The thought of this in Job’s mind is relief, if God would just release His protective Hand from him and cut him off.

Has there ever been a time that you said in your soul; “oh if I could only die, my pain would cease” we do not say these words in haste, nor do we normally consider that God is our enemy in those times of intense suffering. What we do consider that God knows that our strength has failed, what was once strong as stone and bright as bronze is driven away, our end must be near therefore God is our only hope of victory.