Job (continued)

PP Job continued

23:1 Then Job answered and said; Today also my complaint is bitter my hand is heavy on account of my groaning. Behold I go forward, but he is not there. And backward but I do not perceive him. On the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him; he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him. But he knows the way that I take when he has tried me, and I shall  come out as gold. My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside; I have not departed from the commandments of his lips I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food. But he is unchangeable and who can turn him back? What he desires, that he does. For he will complete what he appoints for me and many such things are in his mind. God has made my heart faint. The Almighty has terrified me; yet I am not silenced because of the darkness, nor because thick darkness covers my face.

27:2 As God lives who has taken away my right, and the Almighty who has made my soul bitter as long as my breath is in me and the spirit of God is in my nostrils, my lips will not speak falsehood, and my tongue will not utter deceit.

31:24 If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence, if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much, if I have looked  at the sun when it shone or the moon moving in splendor and my heart has been secretly enticed. And my mouth has kissed my hand, this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges for I would have been false to God above.

Job 38:1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said; Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you and you make it known to me. Have you commanded the morning since our days began and caused the dawn to know its place? Have you entered into the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or have you seen the storehouses of the hail? Can you lift up your voice to the clouds that a flood of waters may cover you?

Job 40:3 Then Job answered Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? He who argues with God, let him answer it.

42:1 Then Job answered the Lord and said: I know you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me which I did not know. Hear and I will speak; I will question you and you make it known to me. I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear. But now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.

 V 9 "And the Lord accepted Jobs prayer."

     Well, this is what i got from Job. Job was a righteous man declared so by God. He was not a perfect man, a sanctified man, yet God took great  pleasure in him. When I was indicted I was with a pastor friend of mine at a meeting in Iowa. He was from Pennsylvania. I took him aside and told him I had been indicted and would be going to trial for tax evasion. The first words from his mouth were, "Consider my man Job". I didn't know how to take that, I was a little puzzled by it but this is what came through to me. This man, this pastor friend of mine, did not condemn me. He still saw some good in me, and it was more than my emotions could take. Such reinforcing and encouragement at a time like this meant so much to me.

     A number of times in life, I have found myself in an activity and I sensed God's pleasure, much like the times i felt my dad's pleasure as a boy. I  knew what it was to have his pleasure and I knew his displeasure. I have felt God's pleasure many times in prison. I love sharing the gospel. I love introducing people to their heavenly father, and when I do it I sense God's pleasure. After doing it so many times I come to crave doing it, and missing it terribly when I am not doing it. Sensing God's pleasure is addictive. The more I have of it the more I want of it until finally there is nothing I would rather be doing than serving the Lord in the midst of any circumstances. Circumstances become so unimportant when God's work is being done. These are moments of grace.  Moments I want to carry with me and never lose them. Yet these moments are fragile. The Holy Spirit never leaves me, but still if I take his work for granted and move forward without calling on him, my hand is like an empty glove and my clothes as an empty suit. I want him, I desire him, I simply must never move forward without him going before me. It is he who makes all things wonderful, I am just a bit player in his wonderful plan, but so blessed, so fortunate to be chosen as one of his. With him I have everything, without him I have nothing.

     I think the story of Job is to show us that God is no respecter of persons. If he removes his hand we become nothing. When he does want to allow us to be tested, it is not because he is angry with us, or upset with us. Job's story had a happy ending. Mine will, too. I don't know what it will look like, but it will be good. I don't know how much of it will be in this life, but surely he is with me in all that I face. So even when the nights are long, and morning comes slowly, I know that my Redeemer lives and because he lives I will rise too.

God is so good,
Bob