Job 17:1-3 and 9 -
My spirit is
broken, my days are cut short, the grave awaits me.
Surely mockers surround me; my eyes must dwell on their hostility. "Give me, O God, the pledge you demand. Who else will put up security for me?
Job knew deep in his heart that he was righteous…but he
could not explain what was happening to him.
He was the first righteous man to experience satan’s temptation. He knew
his friends were wrong in their assessment of his pain…but he had no way of
explaining his deep confusion. He was broken…waiting for death…but was ready…somehow
sensing that God would somehow bring strength in that moment…not more pain.
In his greatest moments of pain and grief...he continued to
cling to God. He must have remembered God’s promise to care for him written in Deuteronomy 31:8 … “The LORD himself goes before you and
will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do
not be discouraged.” Or maybe it was Joshua’s reminder in Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and
courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will
be with you wherever you go.” Or perhaps he had been reading Psalm 27 and could
hear David’s sweet verse 1 “The
LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold
of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”
When Jesus was
tempted …he used the scriptures to rebuke and send away satan. God placed exactly the right scripture in his
mouth that told satan with confidence that he was not falling for his lies and deceitful
ways. Job was experiencing the strength Paul wrote about I Corinthians 10:13 which
says… “No
temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that
you can stand up under it.”
God is always watching and providing for us ways out of our
struggles. It’s like yesterday…when I
was driving to see my baby boy play football.
An RV…huge….way bigger than my Rav4 I drive…wasn’t paying attention….and
swerved over in my lane. I could have stayed right there…and let it hit me…but
there was this convenient shoulder to my right….and God gave me the presence of
mind to drive right into it…and no one was hurt. No scratches on either vehicle…I
may have a complex about passing something that big ever again...but God was
right there….helping me to think my way right out of a disaster satan probably
planned to keep me from seeing my boy….or worse.
Job’s faith was strengthened by his brokenness…just like Paul
says in 2 Corinthians 12:9… “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for
you, for my power is made perfect
in weakness. ” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,” God doesn’t call the qualified…he qualifies
the called. Just like Job... David…
Moses… Saul… Miriam… Sarah….Zaccheus…and Peter…God exposes our weakness to
force us to let him work his supernatural power in our lives…and change us into
what he needs us to be.
Father…thank you for
the reminder that I am weak without your great love…packed so tight in my heart
that it bursts out into the space around me…and affects everyone you bring into
my life. Help me to be weak like Job…and
let you break me from my desires and selfish worldly needs…so you can fill me
up with your strength and power to do the work you called me to do. Give me
more of your great spirit in my heart…so that it’s wisdom spills into my simple
mind…so that you can show me how to avert all the temptations satan throws in
my path to keep me from doing your will. Amen.
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