January 22, 2011
Job continues to defend himself and speak of his innocence. He goes on and on about all he has done. But, it doesn't matter how "good" we are or what we have done, we are nothing compared to God. Our thoughts are not his thoughts, and our ways are not his ways. Who are we to decide if God has the "right" to do what HE decides to do? Who are we to question what God does or does not do? Psalm 8 - "What is man that you are mindful of him?" It's all about understanding the relationship.
I Peter 3:15-16 - "But respect Christ as the holy LORD in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have, but answer in a gentle way and with respect. Keep a clear conscience so that those who speak evil of your good life in Christ will be made ashamed."
Addendum: 1/1/15 ~ "The words of Job are finished." Job's last words are all about I—me—my. There were at least 43 references to I—me—my in the first 25 verses of Chapter 29. Job 29:11 - "Anyone who heard ME spoke well of ME, and those who saw ME spoke well of ME."
On and on Job talks about himself. Job was "an honest and innocent man, honoring God and staying away from evil," but you have to wonder after reading these chapters. Was he honest and innocent and stayed away from evil AND honored God? A self-sufficient man. Or, was he honest and innocent and stayed away from evil BECAUSE he honored God? A God-reliant man. Job 3:25 says, "Everything I feared and dreaded has happened to me." That sounds like a self-sufficient man. Chapters 29–31 sounds like a self-sufficient man.
Before you think I am being too hard on Job for being "human" let me say this: being self-sufficient is exactly how I (and most other "Christians" I've known) lived my life for a very long time. If I needed God, I could go to Him. If I needed help, He would be there. He was the spare tire in the car and not the driver. It wasn't a conscious overt decision to be self-sufficient. I was a good person. I was a capable person. After all, isn't that the way we are supposed to live? We've been taught our whole lives to be strong, independent, capable, and full of good self-esteem. Surely that is what God wants us to be... right? Wrong. If I had told my story earlier in my life it would have sounded like Job's description in Chapters 29–31. I did this—I did that—I—me—my. A self-sufficient person.
God is not impressed by what WE can do. His desire is not for us to be SELF sufficient. His desire is for us to obey His very first command—NO other gods—and that begins with SELF. We need to be willing to surrender to HIM our self, our pride, and our need to be in control. I—me—my. It is not a one-time deal, it is on a daily basis. God's desire for each of us is not SELF-sufficiency. It is to learn what it means to be GOD-reliant.
Job "gets-it" in the final chapter. He finally sees WHO God is and it brings him to his knees and he changes his life. This is the lesson God has taught us throughout this seven year trial/trail journey, and it has brought us to our knees and we have changed our lives. This is why we can now say that we are the recipients of a Blessed Event and not the victims of a vicious lawsuit. It is also why we can say we are grateful, truly grateful for this trial/trail time in our lives.
Our story is HIS story. It has nothing to do with us/me and it has everything to do with HIM. To GOD be ALL Honor and Glory. Amen.
Next Entry: Job 32:1 – 37:24
Job continues to defend himself and speak of his innocence. He goes on and on about all he has done. But, it doesn't matter how "good" we are or what we have done, we are nothing compared to God. Our thoughts are not his thoughts, and our ways are not his ways. Who are we to decide if God has the "right" to do what HE decides to do? Who are we to question what God does or does not do? Psalm 8 - "What is man that you are mindful of him?" It's all about understanding the relationship.
God
↓
Man
I Peter 3:15-16 - "But respect Christ as the holy LORD in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have, but answer in a gentle way and with respect. Keep a clear conscience so that those who speak evil of your good life in Christ will be made ashamed."
Addendum: 1/1/15 ~ "The words of Job are finished." Job's last words are all about I—me—my. There were at least 43 references to I—me—my in the first 25 verses of Chapter 29. Job 29:11 - "Anyone who heard ME spoke well of ME, and those who saw ME spoke well of ME."
On and on Job talks about himself. Job was "an honest and innocent man, honoring God and staying away from evil," but you have to wonder after reading these chapters. Was he honest and innocent and stayed away from evil AND honored God? A self-sufficient man. Or, was he honest and innocent and stayed away from evil BECAUSE he honored God? A God-reliant man. Job 3:25 says, "Everything I feared and dreaded has happened to me." That sounds like a self-sufficient man. Chapters 29–31 sounds like a self-sufficient man.
Before you think I am being too hard on Job for being "human" let me say this: being self-sufficient is exactly how I (and most other "Christians" I've known) lived my life for a very long time. If I needed God, I could go to Him. If I needed help, He would be there. He was the spare tire in the car and not the driver. It wasn't a conscious overt decision to be self-sufficient. I was a good person. I was a capable person. After all, isn't that the way we are supposed to live? We've been taught our whole lives to be strong, independent, capable, and full of good self-esteem. Surely that is what God wants us to be... right? Wrong. If I had told my story earlier in my life it would have sounded like Job's description in Chapters 29–31. I did this—I did that—I—me—my. A self-sufficient person.
God is not impressed by what WE can do. His desire is not for us to be SELF sufficient. His desire is for us to obey His very first command—NO other gods—and that begins with SELF. We need to be willing to surrender to HIM our self, our pride, and our need to be in control. I—me—my. It is not a one-time deal, it is on a daily basis. God's desire for each of us is not SELF-sufficiency. It is to learn what it means to be GOD-reliant.
Job "gets-it" in the final chapter. He finally sees WHO God is and it brings him to his knees and he changes his life. This is the lesson God has taught us throughout this seven year trial/trail journey, and it has brought us to our knees and we have changed our lives. This is why we can now say that we are the recipients of a Blessed Event and not the victims of a vicious lawsuit. It is also why we can say we are grateful, truly grateful for this trial/trail time in our lives.
Our story is HIS story. It has nothing to do with us/me and it has everything to do with HIM. To GOD be ALL Honor and Glory. Amen.
Next Entry: Job 32:1 – 37:24
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