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Then Job answered the Lord and said:
“I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. Job 42:1 (NKJV) Oh that we would be humble before the Lord... to realize that no one can stop His purpose. Let us therefore... listen and let God speak, not just think we have "heard," but really see God with our own eyes. Let us show true and repentant hearts. Word of God... train me, today... to be humble before the Lord. to repent, acknowledge His sovereign authority, and pray for others. And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before... Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning... Job 42:10,12
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Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
“Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy? Job 38:1-7 (NKJV) This is surely one of the most amazing chapters in all the Bible... God causes Job to simply contemplate the things that God did during creation, upon which we never even think. I mean... prepare yourself like a man... How comical is that, when he has no grasp of the amazing things God is about to ask him. Even when God is proving a point, He still has a sense of humor. For he poses questions that He knows Job cannot answer. After all He said Job has only words with knowledge. But simply to read through this chapter slowly, thoughtfully and realized that the ocean could have gone on forever, but God gave it a boundary... a place upon which we can stand and watch the waves lick the shore. God gave us the dawn to end the night... putting an end to darkness and the wickedness that often comes with it. That somewhere there are storehouses for snow, for hail... that the stars need direction, that orbits didn't simply happen... How very much we take for granted in the beautiful creation of our God. Word of God... train me, today... to cease my movement and contemplate the wonder of You. for You are the Almighty Creator, God! Then Job replied to the Lord, “I am nothing... how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand. I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say.” Job 40:3-5 Remember to magnify His work,
Of which men have sung. Everyone has seen it; Man looks on it from afar. Job 36:24-25 (NKJV) Elihu proclaims God's majesty... reminding Job, as well as us, that what we magnify shall certainly become enlarged. If only we would pay attention. But we see God from afar... We only see the rainstorm from inside our safe home. We shake our fist at the weatherman who got the forecast wrong. We watch the devastating flood on our widescreen TV. But rarely do we tremble in amazement... at the wonder of our God. Look, God is greater than we can understand. His years cannot be counted. He draws up the water vapor and then distills it into rain. The rain pours down from the clouds, and everyone benefits. Who can understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunder that rolls forth from heaven? See how he spreads the lightning around him and how it lights up the depths of the sea. By these mighty acts he nourishes[d] the people, giving them food in abundance. He fills his hands with lightning bolts and hurls each at its target. Job 36:26-32 (NLT) We should bow our face low... His majesty to proclaim! By the many works of creation.... management of the wonders of nature, God rewards and disciplines man. We see the results as the rush of water, the force of the current... but we never see the distilling droplets in the clouds above gathering before the storm. God's plans are so much greater than we can ever imagine. He can use people and events in such a great way... from the smallest of beginnings long ago, to the greatest of changes in the here and now. We simply have no idea until they are upon us. For we are utterly consumed by ourselves... worshipping the small screens that hold our hands captive. Never taking time to look up, look around, and simply notice Him. Word of God... train me, today... to tremble at the work of God's hand. Oh that we could return to a time of less... to magnify more of Him. At this also my heart trembles, And leaps from its place. Job 37:1 For God is greater than any human being.
So why are you bringing a charge against Him? Why say He does not respond to people’s complaints? For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. Job 33:13-14 (NLT) When we are in a distressing place... it is easy to spew our angry words, mumble complaint under breath, spin with worry over our future. But God is always speaking... though people do not recognize it. So we try to listen... with silent mouths, our ears attentive, our actions obedient. Until another anxious soul stirs us up... "What ever will you do about that problem?" And the wringing of our hands begins... again. Let us not listen to the people. Let us not wander into that worrying field. For it is a place where the weeds grow tall and tangle... and thorny places prick our heels. Let us rather close our eyes, and shut our ears to human reasoning... listening for the voice of God which whispers deep within. In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds, Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction. In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man, He keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword. Job 33:15-18 (NKJV) Word of God... train me, today... to not speak out of anger in my desperate situation; but rather to listen for God... Who speaks all the time! But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. Job 32:8 (NKJV) Oh, that I had one to hear me!
Here is my mark. Oh, that the Almighty would answer me, That my Prosecutor had written a book! Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, And bind it on me like a crown; I would declare to Him the number of my steps; Like a prince I would approach Him. Job 31:35-37 (NKJV) Could it be that contemplating one's problems... with such intense focus, with constant and never ending reason, could be a source of pride, could turn to self-worship... and even be considered idolatry? If Job had a Facebook, would we ever see his lamenting posts... pondering his problems, commanding comments, longing for likes, fainting for friends? For certainly he has greater problems than any I know... but he has also come to focus on only those. And the constant wonder of why, the constant focus on self, becomes a source of worship... for it has taken his constant focus and attention. Word of God... train me, today... not to focus solely on myself, my problems, my sorrows; but rather to lift my eyes. I will lift up my eyes to the hills... From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2 (NKJV) |
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January 2019
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