Lesson learnt number one I should put the bible readings up before the weekend then you could read along. Ok learnt and should be fairly easy to maintain lol.
Well a very well used text was I. This set of readings Job 13:15
15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
I will surely [a] defend my ways to his face. (NIV)
This is a text that in our troubled times may well be over used but never loses it's power. Job was in a desperate place and was holding on to God with everything he had. As you listened to Jobs passionate defense of God despite all the pain he is expressing you can almost hear him cry out to God, even though you slay me I will trust you. It is the most difficult ray of all and reading Job doesn't make it any easier. I. Fact the pain that jumps of the page makes it even more difficult to understand.
Have I ever been there yes and I am still there today each day I wake up to a strange and alien way of living I say I will trust God no matter what. I guess the thing I have more than Job did is that I have the bible and realize that God does not slay me. God the God of love does not and will not slay me in this lifetime. He may use circumstances to make me strong but he won't slay me. So I will trust him because even if He did flag me up to the devil as an example and I took a beating as a result then I know He is still good and worthy to be trusted.
I guess the good thing we have that Job did not is two fold.
1. God gave us the bible, we have these stories to give us strength in the current situation. They teach us principles we can use to live our lives by
2. We have a promise from God that we can reason with Him. Isaiah 1:18 says:
"Come now, let us reason together,"
says the LORD.
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
This promise is something that each one of us can claim in times of joy and sadness we can approach God and say Lord can we reason together. His ways may well be above ours but He is willing to come down and reason with us. That to me is pretty amazing.
The fink thing we have that Job did not is we have a reason savior and the Holy Spirit something that Job did not have and as such his access was limited to speculation.
I feel relieved when I read Jobs story to be honest that I cannot go through that experience because I am armed with more than Job and to that end I am grateful to God!
For your readings check out the blog
Pastor Purple: Day 7: The Story of Job Continues http://pastorpurple.blogspot.com/2010/07/day-7-story-of-job-continues.html?spref=tw
Pastor Purple: Day 8: Job Stands Accused
http://pastorpurple.blogspot.com/2010/07/day-8-job-stands-accused.html?spref=tw
Pastor Purple: Day 9: Job Defends Himself
http://pastorpurple.blogspot.com/2010/07/day-9-job-defends-himself.html?spref=tw
No comments:
Post a Comment