When I see people continuing to prosper in this life that are doing all kinds of evil, I'm going to think of Job. Even when he is going through horrible trials and ills he still continues to testify that the Redeemer lives and looks forward to the day when he can be with him.
Wayne and I are ready to read the last part of the Book of Job. This week we'll be reading Job Chapters 29 to the end of the book of Job.
10 comments:
The one thing that went through my mind as we were studying Job was his faithfulness. As much as was done to him and taken from him he remianed faithful. I looked at my own life and realized what I had survived and gone through. I have decided it doesn't matter what happens to me, I believe I can endure to the end, because I feel I have already had everything else done to me. Job had an end result, the path he took to get there I am sure was not the plans he laid out for himself. And so our lives are often the same, way, a goal but to reach that goal there are often detours, or sidetracks...but if you stay focused you can reach your goal.
To me Job never lost his trust in God. He never blamed God for what he was going through. In fact Job's statement "though He slay yet will I praise/serve Him" is amazing to me. To not understand what is happening in your life and to be able to make a statement like that shows how deep his faith and trust in God went.
This is at times a hard book to read because I get irritated at his friends. I mean if I was going through something really horrible in my life and my friends came over and started telling me these things like Job's friends did, I'd tell them to take a hike!!! I mean where is the compassion for your friend going through the rough time? Really I think after I got through I'd be checking out getting some new friends...
Kathy,
I'm confused about something you wrote --- "When I see people continuing to prosper in this life that are doing all kinds of evil, I"m going to think of Job." How is that a comparison to Job who did good in life? He wasn't doing bad things; just had bad things happen to him. Can you please explain more? :)
Sometimes we see people that seem to have it all together - wealth, beauty, position, fame, education, popularity, etc. and think that maybe they are doing everything right because they have been blessed so much when it may be the opposite. They may be doing all kinds of evil to get where they are. If I see someone that seems to have everything or does have everything and they aren't living a righteous life then I don't want to follow them. I'll remember that Job had so many problems and hardships and yet he was a very righteous man. Some people think that only bad things happen to bad people and only good things happen to good people. Job is a really good example of someone that is very righteous having many trials and sorrows. Some righteous people go through horrible trials their whole life on earth and aren't rewarded with all their blessings for being and staying righteous until the next life. Does that make sense?
Oh Man Kathy.....AMEN SISTER!!! When I was in college I never felt I was smart, never got the straight A's and struggled though every class. I felt I was dumb and stupid but I was determined to stick with college as long as I could. I will never forget the day that a "friend" who was an "Honor Student" gave the test answers to the entire class. We were allowed to take a crib sheet in where you write notes about the items you were being tested on. I was one of the last ones to take the test, and she said, "here you might as well get an A like everyone else" and shoved a piece of paper in my hand and walked away. When I saw what it was I shoved it in my book bag and dug out my own crib notes to take into the testing center. I did not get an A on the test, I got a C+ but I knew I didn't cheat. Also, had I used her notes, I would have been kicked out of school. The testing center administrator tapped me on the shoulder to let me know my shirt was up in back and would probably have seen I had the answers had I used her notes. I was so grateful I went with what I knew was right and not the fast path to an easy grade. I learned a great lesson that day. It matters that with each step in my life I take, I try and do it the best I can with honor.
I too have also been told that maybe if I lived a more righteous life I wouldn't have so many trials to overcome. We all will have trials, that is why we are here. My trials may seem hard to others, but I know they are ones I can overcome. I am going to make it to the end....because I know I can. I have said before, there is not much more that can be done to me that has not already been done....I have survived this far and I will continue to do so. Thanks for letting me SPOUT again!!!!
You are soo right, Kathy.
Laura. I know how you feel. I was getting good grades in high school. I was A, B student, but when I got to college. OMG. I don't know how I got out of college. It was a hard 6 years to get my bachelor's
I saw many things said in our reading that I liked but this one in 21:14 I had underlined before. I had written next to it 'today'. "yet they say to God, 'leave us alone! We have no desire to know your ways". So true.
Loved reading what everyone said, this is great!
Hi, Kathy,
I understand now. Thank you so much for explaining. :)
Laura, I am so glad that you stuck to your high standards. Those who get A's in school don't always get success in life.
The book of Job means a lot to me this year as I have questioned why I had to go through eye surgery 3 times and why I have to struggle at times in my work because I still have much vision loss in my left eye. I have questioned God as to whether this is a punishment for sin, even though I do not think there is any blatant sin in my life.
I made a decision this summer that I will believe in God and trust Him with my eyesight and my life, no matter what happens. I will always love God "even though He slay me" as Job said. I don't understand and it is very hard at times, but I still believe in a God who loves me.
Terry in Indiana
I reread my earlier post and it sounds a bit harsh, sorry. It must have been difficult going through something like this for Job and not feeling like he had anyone to talk to. I've been in that position, not as drastic as Job, but similiar in feeling. There were no friends that could give me what I needed, to , to feel, to touch - nothing was enough, from them. However, I think our Heavenly Father desires to have such an intimate relationship with us and He wants us to desire Him as He desires us. At times I think He allows us to get to a point where nothing on this earth, nor anyone on this earth is enough for what we need. At this point the only place we can look is to Him, and when we do - OH! He is such a good Father!!! His presence, His love, His everything comes flooding in and fills every gap, every longing, every empty place in us and we realize that all we really need is Him.
It seemed as though for Job God remained silent through his sufferings, and how often does it seem that way to us. Where are you God? Why am I alone? Who really knows what I am going through? Who really cares? In the end, like Job, we find out that God was there the whole time - He knew everything we were facing and He had it under control.
Lord, help me to remember that the next time I feel like You aren't there. You are, You know where I live and You know me. Thank you Heavenly Father that you love us so deeply.
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