Sunday, October 30, 2005
Word For The Week
Have you ever felt like God was picking on you? Like God was getting His jollies seeing just how much He could screw with you? Have you ever felt like cursing God and dying? Job was a man of impeccable character whose righteousness was questioned by no one. Job was blameless before God and had done nothing to deserve the pain and suffering that was inflicted upon him. Job was the man, yet everything of value to him was taken away from him. Everything that he used to glorify God was removed from him. Even his health was decimated, yet Job had done nothing to deserve all of this. Have you ever felt like you have held up your end of the bargain but God had let you down? Have you ever wished that you could subpoena God and put him under oath to make Him testify about why He's brought calamity into your life? Have you ever wanted to scream at God, "Come down here and fight like a man!"
Be careful what you ask for.
Job got his wish in our text - God answered his questions with a series of questions. Where were you when God laid the earth's foundation? Who marked off its dimensions? Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone - while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when God made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when God fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when God said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'? Do you really want to go toe-to-to with Him who creates ex nihilo? You see, Job faced calamity because God was trying to prove a point - we worship God for who He is, not because of the hook-up. We serve God because He is God, not because He gives us stuff. We love God because of what he has already done for us through Christ Jesus our Lord. God recommended Job to Satan in order to prove the point that those who are truly His will serve Him no matter what.
Could God have recommend you to Satan, or does Satan recommended you to God?
Be careful what you ask for.
Job got his wish in our text - God answered his questions with a series of questions. Where were you when God laid the earth's foundation? Who marked off its dimensions? Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone - while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when God made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when God fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when God said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'? Do you really want to go toe-to-to with Him who creates ex nihilo? You see, Job faced calamity because God was trying to prove a point - we worship God for who He is, not because of the hook-up. We serve God because He is God, not because He gives us stuff. We love God because of what he has already done for us through Christ Jesus our Lord. God recommended Job to Satan in order to prove the point that those who are truly His will serve Him no matter what.
Could God have recommend you to Satan, or does Satan recommended you to God?
May The LORD bless you and keep you;
May the LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
And may the LORD,
Who wants you to get with Him,
My He turn His face toward you and give you peace.
May the LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
And may the LORD,
Who wants you to get with Him,
My He turn His face toward you and give you peace.
Read or Post a Comment
Do you think God intended to abase Job for his arrogance ? Or was He simply encouraging Job to stand tall & converse with Him ?
He was definitely putting Job in check for his arrogance:
"Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?"
Sound a little condescending? There's a reason for that - it was. Even when Job tried to shut up and say, "My bad!" God kept laying into him:
"Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!" Then Job answered the LORD: "I am unworthy-- how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer-- twice, but I will say no more." Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm: "Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God's, and can your voice thunder like his? Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor, and clothe yourself in honor and majesty. Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at every proud man and bring him low, look at every proud man and humble him, crush the wicked where they stand."
I don't think God was encouraging Job to stand tall & converse with Him, He was putting Job in check over his arrogance. Now once God checked him He blessed him, but God was certainly putting Job in check.