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.
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.”
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.
