...for true wisdom has two sides. Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin

Job Chp 11

As Job reflects on his situation in chapter 10, there is certainly alot of "whoa is me".  His musings also indicated that he feels God has forsaken him. 

In chapter 11, his friend Zophar responds.  And Zophar offers many great words of comfort, some of which will ultimately speak to Job, although Job is not really listening right now (I can appreciate this).

Oh, how I wish that God would speak,
   that he would open his lips against you
⁶ and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,
   for true wisdom has two sides.
   Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin. 

Indeed!  As I reflect on this, I think to myself that when I feel I have wisdom (which is something I feel quite bit and I pray that God can rid me of my pride and self-righteousness), I fail to recognize that:

• whatever wisdom I do have is God given
• God is all knowing of all wisdom
• I can of course never know more than God
• I can never hide anything from God, even sin

This said, it is clear to me that yes wisdom does have two sides - there is the vessel through which wisdom is delivered, and then there is God where all wisdom exists.  I am merely a vessel through which wisdom is delivered and whoa is me I far too often fail to recognize that the OTHER side of wisdom.  I feel deeply humbled by this passage and in particular by Zophar words that God has even forgotten some of your sin.  Yes He has and I am no one compared to God!  Who am I to be above others when just as sinful as any other?

My Prayer: God, Your ARE TRUTH!  Your wisdom abounds and knows no end.  You know me top to bottom and I am SO thankful that you HAVE forgotten some of my sin!  Forgive me for my self righteousness and forgive me for feeling that I am above others.  While I don't desire to be struck down, I know that I am deserving of your wrath for feeling as if I am better than others.  Please purify me of these feelings and help me be a vessel through which your light, your love, and your wisdom flows.

Argue and Confront God!?

Job Chp 9

The question of whether we have standing to argue with God is an easy one (yes) but the method we use is a tougher question. 

Job poses the dilemma here:

³² “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him,
   that we might confront each other in court.
³³ If only there were someone to mediate between us,
   someone to bring us together,
³⁴ someone to remove God’s rod from me,
   so that his terror would frighten me no more.
³⁵ Then I would speak up without fear of him,
   but as it now stands with me, I cannot.  

I am certain that Job is not one to confront God in a way to say that God is wrong for what He is doing (or allowing to happen to) to Job...this of course is acknowledged by Job.  Job recognizes that he is not perfect and he acknowledges that he does not know more than God.  The question becomes one of method.

And here I found an interesting commentary by John Piper on this subject.  What strikes me in this commentary is how the argument is a more of struggle for God to reveal truth and His plan.  From Piper, "Finally, always and only ask for what will honor God."

My Prayer: Lord, I am clear that You are great.  Your wisdom and righteousness is above all and Your will is perfect.  I am unclean and for this I seek You - please forgive me when I seek other gods who can be no substitute.  Purify me of my uncleanliness - my harshness in my dealings with others at work and at home with Lisa, Zach, and Dusting.  Help me see and deal with others as You do.  Help me be more like you Jesus and help me depend more on You and seek only what honors You. 

I Can Hang On By A Thread...If Only Through God's Help

Job Chp 8

As I read through the words of Job's anguish and the response of his friend Bildad, I can recall my experiences of unemployment during 2002 and 2003.  During this period it definitely felt like the end of the world for me and that God had forsaken, Yet it was God's word and the encouragement and prayers of others that carried me through.  I was able to hang on by a thread if only through God's help:

¹³ Such is the destiny of all who forget God;
   so perishes the hope of the godless.
¹⁴ What they trust in is fragile;
   what they rely on is a spider’s web.
¹⁵ They lean on the web, but it gives way;
   they cling to it, but it does not hold.
¹⁶ They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,
   spreading its shoots over the garden;
¹⁷ it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks
   and looks for a place among the stones.
¹⁸ But when it is torn from its spot,
   that place disowns it and says, ‘I never saw you.’
¹⁹ Surely its life withers away,
   andfrom the soil other plants grow.

  

²⁰ “Surely God does not reject one who is blameless
   or strengthen the hands of evildoers.
²¹ He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
   and your lips with shouts of joy. ²² Your enemies will be clothed in shame,
   and the tents of the wicked will be no more.”

As I recall my experiences I DO see how God redeems us from all and He WILL "yet fill our mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy."

The question for me is AM I am blameless.  I can't say that I am yet I do seek God's will, his forgiveness, and most important is I DO seek God!  It becomes a matter of degree and I seek to more blameless than I am, and I do seek God's will more than I do, his forgiveness more than I do and Him more than I do.

My Prayer: You are great as you HAVE not ever forsaken me Lord  - even in the darkest of times!  Yet I remain sinful as I cannot say I am blameless.  I do seek a transformation of my heart and in my life that I can be purified of my sin as I do seek to be closer to you and I do seek to glorify you and please you with who I am and what I do.  Please help me follow you Lord.

Reminder To Walk With Brothers and Sisters Through Life and Walk With Christ

Job Chp 5

After Job speaks in anguish, his friend Eliphaz the Temanite replies and offers words of wisdom about the refuge and healing only God can offer:

⁸ “But if I were you, I would appeal to God;
   I would lay my cause before him. 

...

¹⁸ For he wounds, but he also binds up;
   he injures, but his hands also heal. 

The question in my mind is: do I have brothers and sisters in my life like Eliphaz that can walk alongside me in my life (regardless of the circumstances) and walk with Christ?  This chapter underscores how important it is to walk with my brothers and sisters, that we cannot do this life by ourselves.  It is through brothers and sisters like Eliphaz that we can pointed to the one eternal Truth and Savior - Christ alone.

My Prayer: Lord, daily I see your work as you have blessed me beyond anything I deserve and through this I know you love me and you will protect me.  Yet I know I can love you more and I can trust you more...please forgive me that I hold back in my love and trust in you.  Help me surround myself with brothers and sister like Eliphaz so that I can be reminded of the one and only eternal Truth and that is you Lord Christ.

Come to God Just As You Are...Be Real

Job Chp 3

The question here is when Job spoke after he had been afflicted by "painful sores", did he speak aloud in vain or was he speaking to God?

I am not sure if we will ever know but the point to me is clear: we need to be real, real in our relationships with others and real in our relationship with God.  On this latter point, we need to think of our relationship with God as if we are talking to our spouse, our children or anyone else - we need to be real.

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God, caring about us and loving us through thick and thin and we know we can come to you with anything and you will comfort us.  Forgive me when I doubt you and help me trust you more in your power, might and love.

Does Joy Exist In The Depths of Tragedy

Job Chp 1

I am not certain if I will ever face tragedy as Job has. Job has lost everything, including his entire family.

Yet in the depths of this tragedy, Job finds joy.

²⁰ At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship ²¹ and said:

   “Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
   and naked I will depart.

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
   may the name of the LORD be praised.”

 ²² In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. 

I can't be certain how I will react but I have my doubts that I can react as Job has to such tragedy.   This story is a stark reminder that we need to look for God's will and His perfect plan in all circumstances.  Our first thought might be to view suffering for suffering's sake - an end to itself.  Yet suffering in the name of the Lord, for His perfect will and plan is an entirely different thing.  Suffering as a means to and end.  This is of course tough to fathom but worthy of prayer that we can suffer in such a way.

My Prayer: Lord, I have seen you perfect will and plan unfold and I am thankful for you use me....I am an ordinary person yet you give me great strength and you use everything that I have for your will and glory.  I know I am not perfect but you are.  For this I ask that you both forgive me - for my lack of trust and obedience in you - and that you do use me.  Purify me and strengthen me so that you can use me fully.