Job 14:7-9 and 14-15 - "At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail. Its roots may grow old in the ground and its
stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it
will bud and put forth shoots like a plant.
If a man dies, will
he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for
my renewal to come. You will call and I will answer you; you will long for the creature your hands have made.
Job was in torment…he had let himself enter into a grand
pity party. His theme for the party was …my
life is so unfair….God has treated the tree better than he has me. The attitude
of pity trapped him in a moment of hopelessness…wishing for death once again. But
even in his weakness…he had the deep trust that God loved him more than that
old tree…and surely there was some hope of reconnection to God after he died.
Job was more like that old tree than he realized. He had
grown deep roots in his drought period of trial. They searched for God’s living water to
nourish his dry soul….because he thought that he had been separated from God. Job
never gave up seeking for a connection…some way to reconnect what he thought he
had lost. Job didn’t know it t the time…but his searching was deepening his
relationship with the father…making God even prouder than he was when he first
showed him off to satan.
King David knew what Job was talking about…as he hid in the
caves trying to figure out why God anointed him king…then let Saul try to kill
him. He let himself have a huge pity party too…but wrote these words as he was
growing his roots back toward God…. “As the deer pants for
streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the
living God. When can I go and meet with God? “
Jesus met a woman at a well one day...who was having her own
pity party. She had been married 5 times
searching for the Earthly love that could not satisfy he need to be cared for.
She had even chosen to live with a man without marrying him. Jesus was so tender and forgiving as he spoke
to her about his living water…that would be provided to all after he died to
save our sins. His words in John 4:14 must have brought a wonderful hope to her
heart… “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never
thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water
springing up into everlasting life.”
How cool that Job sensed the concept of eternal life way
before it was even possible. In his deep
pity and hopelessness….God must have visited him…but kept him from knowing he
was there…just like a mom goes to the door of her sleeping child to check
before they go to sleep themselves. God
stood at Job’s door…just out of sight…and planted the living water that all
would be able to drink after he sent his son.
It gave Job just enough courage and hope to continue to search for God.
Father….thank you for reminding me that you are always there…even
when I can’t see or feel you. Help me to
be like the tree…and grow my roots deep enough to tap into your living water. Show me how to be like the deer…that runs and
pants after you…so I will never run out of the support I need to do what you
need me to do. Sit down with me when I mess up like that woman at the well…and
tell me gently that you alone can love me unconditionally…and help me find the
things I need to be who you want me to be.
Amen.
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