Job 7

Part of every misery is, so to speak, the misery's shadow or reflection: the fact that you don't merely suffer but have to keep on thinking about the fact that you suffer. I not only live each endless day in grief, but live each day thinking about living each day in grief.   c.s.lewis

This is the part of what Job is facing that I can't escape.  Sure, I  can read this, knowing the story, mentally fast-forward through the intervening chapters and land at the "and they all lived happily ever after."  But that's not it.  Job and Mrs. Job still lost all of their children.  Job cannot console the mother of his children.  There are no replacements for the lost.  Sure, more children come; but this loss was not and cannot be mitigated.  I can never get his grief, his perspective; but consider putting my toe in the pool of his life for a minute and I can't breathe.  Inescapable death, pain, pus, more death, grieving spouse, no answer from God, physical ache, mental anguish, a solitude unknown.  Blindsided on every side and a few he didn't know he had.  C.S. Lewis also remarked that no one had ever told him "that grief felt so much like fear."  Consumed.  Drowned but still feeling.  Exhausted but not gone.  I can think; but I can't imagine. 

And this is the man whom God makes much of.  This is the way God makes much of this man.  This completely rocks my "love God, love people, it's all good" mentality.  There is cost.  Excruciating cost for following God.  But it is not any different for Him.  He paid the supreme and excruciating cost for me.  He planned it that way.  He has planned my way, as well. 

What is man, that You make so much of him,
   and that You set Your heart on him?

Oh, God, Your ways are not my ways.  Your heart is so much stronger than my own, Your knowledge is perfect, Your plan flawless - despite my lack of vision and understanding.  Give me Your perspective that I may live fully for You.  I am so moved by what You have done, what You would do to make much of your people.  God, let me make MUCH of You all my life.  Lord God, give me eyes to see and a strong heart to conduct the spiritual transactions You have appointed for me.  Help me, Lord, I need You.  I thank You that You have set Your heart on me; may my heart be fully set on You, everyday.  Keep me from that which would dilute the passion You allow me for You.  Please help me to bring You glory, whether I am covered in sores or sunshine, for You are worth it.  You are Worthy to be made much of.

Job 6

... But it is still my consolation,
         And I rejoice in unsparing pain,
         That I have not denied the words of the Holy One....

Despite all the "unsparing pain," grief, loss and heartache Job is experiencing, he has "not denied the words of the Holy One."  He is consoled in that; he rejoices in his consuming despair.  Wow.  He really was worth bragging on. 

Lord, I thank You that Job maintains his faith in You while drowning in the suffering of his circumstances.  I thank You for Your love and confidence in his devotion to You.  I am inspired  that Job can rejoice in his hurt because of You - and he recognizes that You have allowed these things.  What a challenge to me to praise You in all of my minutes, to be comforted by Your words.  Please don't let me deny any of Your words.  Lord, where I have Your opportunity to console a friend, please give me Your words for that time.  Don't let me be reckless with any of Your words; but let me offer just what You have for that particular situation.  Help me to stay quiet until You direct me.  And help me to go to those that need Your consolation and not just pray from afar - even though You know how You made me.

Job 5

As for me, I would seek God,
   and to God would I commit my cause,
who does great things and unsearchable,
   marvelous things without number ...
Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves;
   therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. ...
For he wounds, but he binds up; 
   he shatters, but his hands heal. ...
Behold, this we have searched out; 
   it is true.
Hear, and know it for your good.

Job begins his response to Eliphaz by rebuking anger, jealousy and foolishness. 

Job continues with declaring his intention to pursue God, the same God who

allowed all of the trouble Job and his wife are enduring, and to entrust his 

situation to that God.  Job acknowledges blessing comes from God's discipline; 

God wounds and shatters - yet He binds and God's own hands heal. 

Job must have felt very wounded and shattered about that time, nonetheless, 

his assurance is in God and what God does - despite what God had done. 

Job has personal experience in the matter he addresses and can testify to the

veracity of his words.  Job also directs the observer to "know it for your good."

 

Oh, my Lord God Almighty, that I immediately would recall Your truths 

and Your faithfulness in all situations.  You do great things which I cannot 

comprehend, things too marvelous for me to know and too vast for me 

to count.  You also discipline and reprove those whom You love. 

Your healing and binding follow the brokenness, Your faithfulness never 

lags or runs out, Your perfection never falters.  You are trustworthy 

in all ways.  You are good and what You do is good.  Let me know it for my good.

Job 4

"Is not your fear of God your confidence,
         And the integrity of your ways your hope?"

Eliphaz's words almost sound right.  Shouldn't I have assurance when I reverence God?  When I walk in blameless ways, shouldn't I be hopeful?  I recognize that Job was operating with sacrifices; but God must still be the faithful One to receive Job's offering, to be satisfied with Job's oblation and to not change the "rules."  God's integrity is what gives hope, God's constancy is where confidence is discovered.

The problem with the Temanite counsel is the confidence and hope are based on me and what I do.  That is never the answer.  My hope comes from God and God alone.  My confidence is from God and Him alone.  I am so grateful that God does not base anything on me and my ability to accomplish or achieve.

I praise You Father for Your wisdom, You know how frail and prone to wander I am.  I praise You that You are not fickle.  I thank You for Your grace in establishing the Covenant and fulfilling the Covenant and including me in the Covenant.  Your grace, Your mercies, Your wisdom, Your power, Your steadfastness, Your honor, Your Name ... You are where I find my hope and my confidence.  You and You alone.

Job 3

...I cannot eat for sighing;
      my groans pour out like water
  What I always feared has happened to me.
      What I dreaded has come true.
  I have no peace, no quietness.
      I have no rest; only trouble comes.

Oh Lord, my God,  You are Consolation.  Only You can provide comfort and peace that is soul-deep and life-long.   Master Creator, I cry out to You for those suffering from grief, dread, depression, oppression, fear, worthlessness, regret, deception.  You are the Answer to every person's life; but You have a unique and personal response for each one.  I ask You, the Lover of our Souls, for healing and restoration on those afflicted; I ask that You accomplish every purpose You have in store for them as well.  Please, don't let me pray away their blessing - but Lord, have mercy, act quickly, dispel the darkness.  Holy Spirit, please speak to each one's spirit today and flood them with Your solace.  Grant them divine succor from the tender heart of their Savior.  Bathe them in Your hope.  For those that know You, please magnify Yourself within their spirits; console them and hearten them with Your Hope and Love.  For those that don't yet know You, please draw them near to Your mercies that they may respond to You and Your gracious provision to them.  God our Healer, remember those in tears, those bereaved, those with gloominess of soul, those whose sighs pour out of them like water.  Holy Father, bring peace, quiet, rest and Hope today; please be the only voice they heed.   The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing.  Oh, LORD, make it so; do it now.

Job 2

The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."

Satan walks around on the earth.  Just like I do.  Is he walking around me?  I need You, Lord .  Please help me to stand firm and not be afraid when the enemy is in my neighborhood.  Rather, teach my hands, heart and spirit in the ways of war that I might be a defense for the place You have given me.  The LORD is a Warrior, the LORD is His Name.

Why did Job's wife escape the destruction?  Was she protected by the two-becoming-one marriage vows that kept Satan from harming Job?  Or was she more useful to Satan's purpose alive?

I hate that her debut on the pages of the meta-narrative are her words to "curse God and die."  I know she was as hurt and as confused about the circumstances as her husband; but those are such harsh words.  She offered no comfort to her husband, nor even a lance.  I hate that they found no comfort in each other.  Had she lived with the blameless man all those years and missed God?

Lord, help me to never be more useful to the enemy than to You.  God, help me to offer compassion and comfort where I can and where I can't, please shut my mouth.  She was the only one who could understand Job's unfathomable situation and she choose cursing.  When I am overwhelmed, please keep me close to You ... When my heart is breaking and I don't understand, please draw me near and fill me with Your comfort.  Help me to never be so gone after this physical world that I turn from You.  Even when my pain fills the landscape of my soul, Lord, You are my God and I will trust in You.  Let me be a light for You rather than a light-switch in the off position in all seasons of life.  I am desperate for You, let me never forget that fact.  You are enough.  Let me never stray from that truth.

Job 1

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.
He was blameless, upright, fearing God and he turned away from evil. 

Perhaps his motive was that awed and reverence for the One True God which yielded his action of turning away from and shunning evil.   That turning was the pivot which caused his conduct to be moral and honorable; perpendicular to the ways of the world.  And the result of his uprightness was a blameless man. 

Oh Father God, may I reverence You with fear and trembling, with awe and adoration, with wonder, love and praise.  May that response to You result in my tenacity to rebel against evil and lead me through the true and virtuous life that my legacy would be blameless before You.  May this be true of my family, my brothers and sisters in You and for all generations which we represent - to the praise of Your Very Great Name.