Today’s Reading: Exodus 3 – 4; Psalm 144; Acts 7:20-36

O Lord, what are human beings that you should notice them,
mere mortals that you should think about them?
For they are like a breath of air;
their days are like a passing shadow.
Open the heavens, Lord, and come down. – Psalm 144:3-5a

While tending Jethro’s flocks one day on Mount Sinai, the mountain of God, Moses came across a blazing fire in the middle of a bush. The bush was engulfed in flames but was not consumed by the fire. As Moses stepped forward to get a closer look, he heard from God.

“I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey…Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.” – Exodus 3:7-10

I HAVE SEEN. I HAVE HEARD. I AM AWARE. SO I HAVE COME. NOW GO.

God knows how His people suffer and He hears their cries, responding with His incredible mercy. He rescues the oppressed and leads them to the freedom He has planned for them. And the Lord uses us to do this; he calls us to be a part of His plan of redemption. Moses had the privilege to be a part of God’s plan — to have a front row seat to the mighty hand of God at work. But just like we have a tendency to do, Moses responded in fear and doubt rather than giving God his immediate “yes”. Can you relate?

God said “Go” and Moses responded “Who am I?” So God made it clear — This isn’t about who you are but about who I am and “I Am Who I Am” (3:14). Moses protested — What should I say? God responded — “Say this…” Moses reacted in fear and doubt, asking “What if…?” God pointed out the staff in Moses’ hand and told him to throw it down to the ground. When it turned into a snake. God told him to pick it up by the tail and, when he obeyed, the snake turned back into the staff. God was showing Moses how He would perform all kinds of miracles to show Himself to both Pharaoh and the Israelites.

Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.” – Exodus 4:11-12

GOD IS NEVER CAUGHT UNAWARE. HE IS NEVER WITHOUT A PLAN.

God has a plan and that plan often involves us. He calls us to do something, and He desires obedience and faith in response. When we say, “Who am I? What can I do?”, God says — It’s not about you, it’s about me and “I Am Who I Am.” When we ask the Lord how we are going to be able to do what He is asking us to do, He says — Take what I have already placed in your hand, what I have already equipped you with, and let go of it. I will take it from there. I will tell you what to do and I will give you the words to say.

Perhaps you look down at your hands and see them as empty. Your current perspective is that you are not equipped to do what God is asking you to do. You do not see a staff in your hands and, therefore, you feel incapable and inept; you see yourself as having nothing to offer the Lord.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out again, his hand was white as snow with a severe skin disease. “Now put your hand back into your cloak,” the Lord said. So Moses put his hand back in, and when he took it out again, it was as healthy as the rest of his body. – Exodus 4:6-7

It’s okay to come to the Lord empty handed. It’s not always about what you have to allow the Lord to use, but about how the Lord wants to use you to accomplish His plan for today. So give Him your whole self and be willing to even let God use an ailment in a part of your body for His glory and His purposes.

But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”
Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”
But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.” – Exodus 14:10-13

Oh how I wish I was not guilty of doing the same thing that Moses did! I have heard those same words and that same spirit of fear in my own response to God — “Lord, please, send anyone else! I love you but please find someone else to do what you are asking me to do!”

Father, forgive me for the missed opportunities; forgive me for letting my insecurities and fears cause me to miss a conversation when I could have experienced your Spirit giving me the words to say and clear instructions to follow. All that I have is yours; all that I am is yours.

God could have completely given up on Moses but He didn’t, just like He doesn’t give up on us. God allowed Moses to have a partner in his brother; He gave him a coworker to be his mouthpiece. And Aaron responded just as the Lord wants us to respond — in immediate obedience with a willing heart.

Now the Lord had said to Aaron, “Go out into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So Aaron went and met Moses at the mountain of God, and he embraced him. – Exodus 4:27

Many of us are called by God to rescue others who are suffering. We have a message to give those who are hurting — God hears, He is concerned and He has a plan to rescue them. Let’s listen closely to God today as we make ourselves available to be used by Him in the lives of others. Let’s respond in obedience and faith instead of fear and doubt. Let others know that God has seen, He has heard, He is concerned and He has come down to rescue them!!!

Praise the Lord, who is my rock.
He trains my hands for war
and gives my fingers skill for battle.
He is my loving ally and my fortress,
my tower of safety, my rescuer.
He is my shield, and I take refuge in him. – Psalm 144:1-2a

Today’s Reading: Exodus 2:11-25; Psalm 1; John 4:1-42

Many years later, when Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his own people, the Hebrews, and he saw how hard they were forced to work. During his visit, he saw an Egyptian beating one of his fellow Hebrews. After looking in all directions to make sure no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand. – Exodus 2:11-12

What must it have been like for Moses to grow up in the palace? Although he was adopted into this royal family, the fact that he was a Hebrew would have set him apart from the Egyptians around him. Pharaoh may have tolerated his daughter’s adopted son, but he most likely never accepted Moses as his grandson.

Knowing he was adopted, Moses never lost his connection with the Hebrew people. He saw how hard they were forced to work and came to their defense, killing an Egyptian who was beating one of the Hebrew slaves. When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, so he fled Egypt and went to live in the land of Midian (2:11-15). There God provided him with a wife, the daughter of the Midian priest, Jethro.

IT WAS EVENING AND ZIPPORAH DID THE SAME THING SHE DID EVERY EVENING.

Zipporah gathered her empty water jug and walked to the well with her six sisters. Every evening the girls made this trip to the well, bringing back water to fill the troughs for their father’s flocks. It was her routine and perhaps her favorite time of day — the opportunity to take a walk with her sisters.

It was in living out her routine of daily spending time at the well that Zipporah’s life was forever changed. Today was different from the other days. Today there were cruel shepherds at the well who chased them away, keeping them from what they needed to do. But there was also a hero at the well who swept in and rescued the girls from the shepherds. His name was Moses (Exodus 2).

I wonder what Zipporah’s reaction was when this handsome Hebrew man dressed as an Egyptian prince came to her rescue. Had anyone ever done something of that kind of value for her before? Did she realize the significance of this moment? Did she have any idea of how quickly her life was going to change?

Zipporah was simply living out her routine of daily spending time at the well and God met her there. Her life was never the same. God had a plan for her life and she began a new journey — a journey that would someday take her a very long way from her family and friends, from the life she had always known. God blessed her generously, and she had a front row seat to watch her husband be used by God to rescue His people out of slavery.

IT IS IN LIVING OUT A ROUTINE OF DAILY SPENDING TIME AT THE WELL THAT OUR LIVES CAN BE FOREVER CHANGED.

God meets us when we faithfully spend time in His presence. Many days it will feel familiar; it will become routine. But there will be days in which God gives us a moment that will change our lives forever. He has a plan for our lives and He longs to guide us daily on our new journey — a journey with God-moments, unexpected opportunities, and living water.

Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do. – Psalm 1:1-3

Lord, we have come to the well this morning and you have so faithfully met us there. Thank you for the truths found in your word and for the gift of your presence. We choose to plant ourselves along the riverbank so that we can produce the fruit of your Spirit today. We have come so that we will never thirst again. What our souls long for this world cannot fulfill, so we come to the well to receive all that you have for us today.

Father God, my prayer this morning for those who are reading this blog is that you will fill them with the peace and courage they need to stand strong against today’s circumstances. May they be planted beside the source of living water, strengthened for the journey ahead. Give them the faith to dare to believe, to have confidence in who you are and what you will do for them today. Amen.

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. – Jeremiah 17:7-8

Today’s Reading: Exodus 1-2:10, Psalm 5

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. – Psalm 40:1-2

God spoke into Job’s situation, and he was humbled. God was paying attention; He was never unaware of the suffering Job was going through. God corrected Job’s friends, who had inaccurately represented him when Job needed them most. And when Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes (Job 42:10). Job’s brothers, sisters, and friends arrived to comfort and console him, each of them bringing Job some money and a gold ring in order to generously share what they had with their family member and friend who had lost so much.

So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. For now he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He also gave Job seven more sons and three more daughters. He named his first daughter Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. In all the land no women were as lovely as the daughters of Job. And their father put them into his will along with their brothers. Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren. Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, full life. – Job 42:12-17

This generous God of Job’s is the same God we serve today. He is present, He is aware, and He is paying attention. We see evidence of this in the history of God’s people as we move on to the book of Exodus.

The nation of Egypt had grown very powerful because the hand of God was on Joseph’s life, yet they continued to be a self-seeking people and they oppressed God’s children. A new king was now in leadership and he was intimidated by the size of Joseph’s growing family, the Israelites. He developed a strategy to keep the size of this group from growing larger. He made them slaves and appointed brutal slave drivers over them, assigning them to crushing labor.

Life was bitter for the Israelites as they were made to work hard for Pharaoh, without mercy and under the pressure of ruthless demands (Exodus 1:11-14). The more Pharaoh oppressed God’s people, the more the Israelites multiplied and spread. Pharaoh gave an order to the Hebrew midwives to kill every newborn boy, only letting the baby girls live. But the Hebrew midwives feared God and refused to carry out the King’s orders, making excuses for why the baby boys were surviving. So Pharaoh ordered all the Egyptians to kill every newborn Hebrew boy (1:22). Imagine the terror and grief of God’s people as their babies were yanked from their arms and cast into the Nile River. God heard their cries.

BUT GOD IS NEVER CAUGHT UNAWARE. HE IS NEVER WITHOUT A PLAN.

What a wonderful truth. Time and time again in history, we see evidence of God’s response to the oppression of a group of people. He raises up a leader or a team of people to stand up in opposition to injustice — racism, sexism, discrimination, hatred, abortion and more. God is not uninvolved, nor is He unaware. He does not wring His hands in uncertainty or turn His back. He empowers and equips His people, calling them to rescue and restore.

The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. – Psalm 34:19

God raised up a leader from those baby boys to rescue his people. A married couple from the tribe of Levi gave birth to a son and hid him for three months. When they could no longer hide him, they placed him in a basket and laid it among the reeds of the Nile River, with the baby’s sister watching close by. Pharaoh’s daughter found the baby and claimed it as her own; she adopted him. And because GOD IS GENEROUS, He even worked out a way for the baby’s mother to take him back home and nurse him until he was old enough to move into the palace and be raised by the princess.

The princess named him Moses, for she explained, “I lifted him out of the water.” – Exodus 2:10b

His name was Moses because he was lifted out of his situation and rescued. God does not always respond immediately, but He is involved. There may be a period of time in which we cannot see the evidence of His involvement, but we can trust that He has a plan and that He is working it out for us. It may not be time for you to be lifted out of a situation, but you can trust that He is holding you in his hands and will keep you from sinking deeper if you will just let Him.

​​The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right;
his ears are open to their cries for help. – Psalm 34:15

O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning.
Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you.
Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.
Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. – Psalm 5:1-3

I imagine that Moses’ mother was extremely grateful for the extra time the Lord gave her with her little boy, and yet I would also guess that she never stopped praying for the Lord to provide a way for her to keep him. She most likely prayed every day that the princess would change her mind or forget to come and retrieve her son. But God had another plan. Her time with her baby boy came to an end, and Moses was taken to the palace to join his new family.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the many ways in which you have generously provided for us. Thank you for being present and active in our lives, knowing what has been and what will come. It is comforting to know that nothing about my day will catch you off guard; you are never unaware. Help me to trust you in the midst of it all, even when my prayers are not answered as I want them to be. Thank you for the reminder that your ways are greater than mine, and I can rest in your wisdom. Amen.

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
that all who love your name may be filled with joy.
For you bless the godly, O Lord;
you surround them with your shield of love. – Psalm 5:11-12

Today’s Reading: Job 37-42; Psalm 73

In our humanity, we often think we know better than God. In our arrogance, we often think we have all the answers. In our ignorance, we often question God instead of submitting to His plan. But do we know better than God? Do we understand? Can we even imagine? Are we as strong as God?

Most of the book of Job is one long conversation. His friends have come to visit him after he has suffered unimaginable loss and pain. They argue with him that his sin has caused him to lose favor with God, and that is why disaster has taken his family, possessions and good health. Job defends his righteousness and whines about how God has abandoned him.

A young bystander, Elihu, finally steps into the conversation to remind all of them WHO God is and to caution them when making such grand accusations against God. You remember who God is, right? The Creator of the world, the Almighty, the One more powerful than we can comprehend or imagine?

“Listen carefully to the thunder of God’s voice as it rolls from his mouth.
It rolls across the heavens, and his lightning flashes in every direction.
Then comes the roaring of the thunder — the tremendous voice of his majesty.
He does not restrain it when he speaks. God’s voice is glorious in the thunder.
WE CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE THE GREATNESS OF HIS POWER.

“He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down.
THEN EVERYONE STOPS WORKING SO THEY CAN WATCH HIS POWER.
The wild animals take cover and stay in their dens.
The stormy wind comes from its chamber, and the driving winds bring the cold.
God’s breath sends the ice, freezing wide expanses of water.
He loads the clouds with moisture, and they flash with his lightning.
The clouds churn about at his direction.
They do whatever he commands through the earth…

“DO YOU KNOW how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds?
DO YOU UNDERSTAND how he moves the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill?
When you are sweltering in your clothes and the south wind dies down and everything is still,
he makes the skies reflect the heat like a bronze mirror. CAN YOU DO THAT?

“We cannot look at the sun, for it shines brightly in the sky when the wind clears away the clouds.
So also, golden splendor comes from the mountain of God.
He is clothed in dazzling splendor.
WE CANNOT IMAGINE the power of the Almighty;
but even though he is just and righteous, he does not destroy us.
No wonder people fear him.
All who are wise show him reverence.” – Job 37:2-12,15-18,21-24

Stop looking for the sin in your life that has caused your suffering and start looking at how your suffering is tempting you to sin. Perhaps your current pain is more about your present grumbling than a consequence of your past actions or recent tragedies. Humble yourself and listen to what God has to say about your complaining and arguing.

Then the Lord said to Job,
“Do you still want to argue with the Almighty?
You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers? …
ARE YOU AS STRONG AS GOD?”… – Job 40:1-2,9a

Then Job replied to the Lord:
“I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you.
You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
It is I – and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me…
I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” – Job 42:1-2,6

What a powerful section of scripture. I wish I could say I have never argued with God. I wish I could claim I have never disagreed with God or questioned His decisions. Unfortunately, I am as guilty as Job. It was I who was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me.

This morning I recognize that YOU, Almighty God, are strong and powerful and wonderful. I listen to the rumble of thunder and I recognize your strength. I watch the lightning bolt across the sky and I recognize your control. I do not know what is best. I do not pretend to understand your greater plan. But I do trust you. I sit quietly and watch Your power at work – the power I cannot even fathom the depth of. You, Oh God, are holy and You, Oh God, are great! Thank you for being aware of everything going on in my life and for blessing the next chapter of my life. Amen.

Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
and I was all torn up inside.
I was so foolish and ignorant—
I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
Yet I still belong to you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
leading me to a glorious destiny.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever.
Those who desert him will perish,
for you destroy those who abandon you.
But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do. – Psalm 73:21-28

Today’s Reading: Job 35-38; Psalm 89

O Lord, how long will this go on?
Will you hide yourself forever?
How long will your anger burn like fire?
Remember how short my life is,
how empty and futile this human existence!
No one can live forever; all will die.
No one can escape the power of the grave.
Lord, where is your unfailing love? – Psalm 89:46-49a

Has your prayer ever reflected your doubt? Have you ever cried out to God, begging Him to show up for you in the midst of your struggles? David wrote many psalms of lament; he questioned both the presence of God and the wisdom of God.

As we continue to read the book of Job, we hear him questioning God’s wisdom in even allowing him to be born if He was going to eventually let him suffer like this (Job 10:8-12,18-22). Job demonstrates here an internal conflict between being in awe of the power of God and being disappointed with the wisdom of God. In one breath he is speaking of how great God is and in another breath he is questioning the motives and decisions of God. If Job was without sin before the hard times came, he is now demonstrating his humanity and sin nature by questioning the authority of God.

More than that, Job was downright angry with God. Many of us can relate to a moment in our lives when we questioned God or asked “Why?” It is common to experience anger in our grief, but there’s a difference between taking our anger to God and taking our anger out on God. I think this is where Job messes up. It is not a sin that he is experiencing human emotions in the midst of his grief and pain; it is what he does with the emotions that trips him up. Job is both arguing with God and criticizing God’s wisdom.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TAKING OUR ANGER TO GOD AND TAKING OUR ANGER OUT ON GOD.

One of my favorite passages of scripture is God’s reply to Job’s accusations. If there is something in your life that has left you questioning the wisdom of God, I encourage you to read through this passage. If you find yourself questioning the heart of God, let these words remind you of how much your Creator loves you.

Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:
“Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
Brace yourself like a man,
because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell me, if you know so much.
Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line?
What supports its foundations and who laid its cornerstone
as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted with joy?

“Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb,
and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness?
For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores.
I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop!’

“Have you ever commanded the morning to appear
and caused the dawn to rise in the east?
Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth,
to bring an end to the night’s wickedness? …

“Have you explored the springs from which the seas come?
Have you explored their depths?
Do you know where the gates of death are located?
Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?
Do you realize the extent of the earth?
Tell me about it if you know!

“Where does the light come from, and where does the darkness go?
Can you take each to its home?
Do you know how to get there?
But of course you know all this!
For you were born before it was all created,
and you are so very experienced!” – Job 38:1-13,16-21

Father God, thank you for reminding us of who you are, and for giving us the perspective of how powerful you are. I pray that you would help us to trust you even through the most difficult of situations. I pray that we would rest in your wisdom, even when we do not get the answer we are praying for.

WHEN WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE MOVEMENT OF GOD, MAY WE TRUST THE HEART OF GOD.

“God alone understands the way to wisdom;
he knows where it can be found, for he looks throughout the whole earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
He decided how hard the winds should blow and how much rain should fall.
He made the laws for the rain and laid out a path for the lightning.
Then he saw wisdom and evaluated it thoroughly.
And this is what he says to all humanity:
‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’” – Job 28:23-28

Powerful is your arm! Strong is your hand!
Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.
Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation.
They exult in your righteousness.
You are their glorious strength.
It pleases you to make us strong. – Psalm 89:13-17

Today’s Reading: Job 30-34; Psalm 94; Hebrews 9:11-28

“God is not a mortal like me,
so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial.
If only there were a mediator between us,
someone who could bring us together.
The mediator could make God stop beating me,
and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment.
Then I could speak to him without fear,
but I cannot do that in my own strength.” – Job 9:32-35

HOW OFTEN DO WE BLAME GOD FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING WRONG IN OUR LIFE?

We blame the Author of Life for the death of a loved one. We blame the Great Physician for the cancer diagnosis of a friend. We blame our holy and righteous God for the sin of this world that causes us pain. Every good and perfect gift comes from God our Father, and yet He is the first one we get angry with when things are not going our way.

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. – James 1:17

Once our family attended an outdoor event on a hot summer day. We found a place in the shade and then we set up our chairs and blankets. We had arrived early to make sure we could find a comfortable place under the shelter of a tree. But before the opening song had even begun, we noticed the shade was moving. We had not taken into account that the earth was rotating and the angle of the sun was changing — the shadow we were sitting under was shifting.

This often describes our circumstances in life. We set ourselves up to live comfortably and enjoy all the blessings God has provided, but life does not stand still. Try as we may, we cannot freeze time. Our children grow up, our bodies grow old, and our loved ones pass on. We look around and no longer recognize our surroundings. Where did the time go? We cry out to God and question whether He is still listening.

“Even now my witness is in heaven.
My advocate is there on high.
My friends scorn me, but I pour out my tears to God.
I need someone to mediate between God and me,
as a person mediates between friends.” – Job 16:19-21

HAVE YOU EVER ACCUSED GOD OF BEING DISTANT? HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED IF HE IS LISTENING?

“I cry to you, O God, but you don’t answer.
I stand before you, but you don’t even look.” – Job 30:20

Job was suffering and crying out to a God who was not answering him. He assumed God had turned his back; he was convinced that God no longer cared. If only God would come close to see what a good person he was, Job would receive justice for all the unfair suffering he was enduring. His friend, Eliphaz, spoke up to remind Job of the greatness of God.

“God is so great—higher than the heavens, higher than the farthest stars.
But you reply, ‘That’s why God can’t see what I am doing!
How can he judge through the thick darkness?
For thick clouds swirl about him, and he cannot see us.
He is way up there, walking on the vault of heaven.’” – Job 22:12-14

What a great reminder that God sees everything; the Lord knows everything. Most of us have had seasons where we felt like Job did, but we can rest in the knowledge that the one who made our ears is not deaf; the one who formed our eyes is not blind (Psalm 94:9-11). But even with confidence in this promise, we may have moments where we cry out for a moment with God, like Job did.

“My complaint today is still a bitter one, and I try hard not to groan aloud.
If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his court.
I would lay out my case and present my arguments.
Then I would listen to his reply and understand what he says to me.” – Job 23:2-5

We live in an imperfect world and declare it unfair. The sins of generations before us have scarred God’s perfect plan for His creation. We have inherited the viruses, diseases, conflicts and perversions of those who came before us, and darkness continues to try its best to snuff out the light. Job recognized the distance that sin had placed between the Creator and His creation, and he cried out for a mediator — someone to bridge the distance between God and mankind. Job was begging for a Savior.

There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. – 1 Timothy 2:5-6a

JESUS WAS THE SAVIOR JOB PRAYED FOR — THE MEDIATOR WHO WOULD CLOSE THE DISTANCE.

For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. — Hebrews 9:15

Because Jesus is our Mediator and our Savior, we can stand in confidence with Job and make this our personal testimony, even in the midst of our struggles and the presence of our pain:

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
and he will stand upon the earth at last.
And after my body has decayed,
yet in my body I will see God!
I will see him for myself.
Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.
I am overwhelmed at the thought!” — Job 19:25-27

I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me.
When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. – Psalm 94:18-19

Today’s reading: Job 23-29; Psalm 42

My heart is breaking
as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
amid the sound of a great celebration! – Psalm 42:4

Everything Job had loved about life was gone and he was grieving. He liked the way things had been, but it was beyond his control to get it all back. The contrast of the joy of yesterday compared to the pain of today caused him to despair all of his tomorrows. If only things could go back to the way they had been.

WHY CAN’T THINGS GO BACK TO THE WAY THEY USED TO BE?

“I long for the years gone by when God took care of me,
when he lit up the way before me and I walked safely through the darkness.
When I was in my prime, God’s friendship was felt in my home.
The Almighty was still with me, and my children were around me.
My steps were awash in cream, and the rocks gushed olive oil for me.

“Those were the days when I went to the city gate
and took my place among the honored leaders.
The young stepped aside when they saw me,
and even the aged rose in respect at my coming.
The princes stood in silence and put their hands over their mouths.
The highest officials of the city stood quietly, holding their tongues in respect.

“All who heard me praised me. All who saw me spoke well of me.
For I assisted the poor in their need and the orphans who required help.
I helped those without hope, and they blessed me.
And I caused the widows’ hearts to sing for joy.
Everything I did was honest.
Righteousness covered me like a robe, and I wore justice like a turban.
I served as eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
I was a father to the poor and assisted strangers who needed help.” – Job 29:2-16

When Job lost his family, his livestock, his servants, and his health, he lost his identity. He liked the way things used to be and he missed the opportunities life had afforded him. He was uncomfortable being in this place where others were taking pity on him; he longed for the days when he was the one who came to the rescue of others. His expectations of what the future would hold had been erased, and his confidence in the heart of God was fading. Can you relate?

DO YOU EVER FIND YOURSELF QUESTIONING THE HEART OF GOD?

“I thought, ‘Surely I will die surrounded by my family after a long, good life.
For I am like a tree whose roots reach the water, whose branches are refreshed with the dew.
New honors are constantly bestowed on me, and my strength is continually renewed.’” – Job 29:18-20

When everything in life is going well, we begin planning out our future. We have no doubt that life is good and our God is great! But when the people we love start making decisions beyond our control, we panic. When sickness and disease take away our family members and friends, we grieve. When others start looking at us differently, we feel unappreciated and devalued. Feelings of worthlessness crowd in and, like Job, we start spiraling into depression.

If this describes where you are at right now or what you are feeling, my prayer for you this morning is that you will allow the following verses to wash over you. There is no simple fix to our deepest sorrows and no quick remedy for depression, but we can allow the healing to begin when we regain our confidence in who God is and choose to believe that He is present.

The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
The righteous person faces many troubles,
but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. – Psalm 34:17-19

WE CAN TRUST THE HEART OF THE GOD WHO LOVES US!

There is no guarantee that we will go through life without troubles or heartbreak, but God does promise to rescue us. In life, we will experience all of the emotions that everyone else experiences, but we can stand on the promise that we are never alone — that God is with us and that He will hold us up when we don’t have the strength to stand on our own. He wants us to bring all of our emotions to Him, trusting the heart of the God who loves us.

Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again — my Savior and my God!
Now I am deeply discouraged,
but I will remember you. – Psalm 42:5-6a

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. – Isaiah 41:10

Today’s Reading: Job 17-22; Psalm 41

My days are over.
My hopes have disappeared.
My heart’s desires are broken. – Job 17:11

Have you ever experienced this level of disappointment in the wisdom of God? No matter how much you want to trust God, it is difficult when our heart is not in alignment with the heart of God. We beg for one thing but do not receive it; we pray for one outcome and get another. As our hope fades, we must decide whether or not to trust that our God is still good — that our God is still great.

QUESTIONING THE GREATNESS OF GOD

God has blocked my way so I cannot move.
He has plunged my path into darkness.
He has stripped me of my honor
and removed the crown from my head.
He has demolished me on every side, and I am finished.
He has uprooted my hope like a fallen tree. – Job 19:8-10

Feeling alone in his misery, Job questioned the presence of God. Thinking he knew better, Job questioned the wisdom of God. What good could possibly come from all that the Lord was allowing to happen in Job’s life? Although he had been a faithful servant of God for years, it seems Job was still unaware of just how great His God was. Perhaps he began to see God as too far away to notice his pain — too distant to know what was best for him.

“God is so great—higher than the heavens,
higher than the farthest stars.
But you reply, ‘That’s why God can’t see what I am doing!
How can he judge through the thick darkness?
For thick clouds swirl about him, and he cannot see us.
He is way up there, walking on the vault of heaven.’” – Job 22:12-14

Are you currently questioning the wisdom of God regarding a situation in your life? Are you arguing with God? Are you angry with Him? Do your current circumstances seem bigger than even God can solve? Let’s look at some verses in Job to consider just how awesome and wise our God is — how worthy He is of our trust even in the most difficult times.

LET US CONSIDER THAT GOD IS GREATER THAN WE CAN UNDERSTAND.

“Can you solve the mysteries of God?
Can you discover everything about the Almighty?
Such knowledge is higher than the heavens – and who are you?
It is deeper than the underworld – what do you know?
It is broader than the earth and wider than the sea?” – Job 11:7-9

“God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing.
He wraps the rain in his thick clouds, and the clouds don’t burst with the weight.
He covers the face of the moon, shrouding it with clouds.
He created the horizon when he separated the waters; he set the boundary between day and night.
The foundations of heaven tremble; they shudder at his rebuke.
By his power the sea grew calm…
These are just the beginning of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power.
Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?” – Job 26:7-12,14

“Look, God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him?
No one can tell him what to do, or say to him, ‘You have done wrong.’
Instead, glorify his mighty works, singing songs of praise…
Look, God is greater than we can understand. His years cannot be counted.” – Job 36:22-24,26

GOD, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THIS MORNING THAT YOU ARE GREATER THAN WE CAN COMPREHEND.

Lord, help us to simply rest in your wisdom, submitting to your greatness and to your authority in our lives. Give us the strength to let go of our need to understand and then choose to simply trust you. When the reality we are facing is as bitter as our morning coffee, Lord, we ask for the gift of faith and the ability to trust in order to sweeten up our perspective — to dare to believe that you are faithful in every circumstance. Thank you for loving us patiently when we lack understanding. We love you back! Amen.

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord
Oh the joys of those who trust the Lord… – Psalm 40:1-4a

I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart;
I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power.
I have told everyone in the great assembly
of your unfailing love and faithfulness.
Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me.
Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me. – Psalm 40:10-11

But may all who search for you
be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
repeatedly shout, “The Lord is great!” – Psalm 40:16

Today’s Reading: Job 9-16, Psalm 30

“How long will you go on like this? You sound like a blustering wind. Does God twist justice? Does the Almighty twist what is right? Your children must have sinned against him, so their punishment was well deserved. But if you pray to God and seek the favor of the Almighty, and if you are pure and live with integrity, he will surely rise up and restore your happy home. And though you started with little, you will end with much.” – Job 8:2-7

Perhaps Job’s friends were slightly enjoying the fact that Job’s life was not perfect — that something was finally going wrong for him. Jealousy is a powerful thing, even among friends, and it is possible that the words of self-righteousness coming from Job’s friends are a result of past envy or attempts to measure up to Job. I do know this — to tell someone that their loved one deserved to die or that their death was the result of God’s punishment is never the right response. Never.

“Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” – Job 2:10

Job’s friends seemed to have an understanding of Job’s suffering as if it was simply Job’s turn. He had been blessed for years and now it was his turn to suffer the realities of life. When they could have encouraged him, Job’s friends chose instead to mock him. Where is your faith, Job, and where are your confident words now that the shoe is on the other foot?

When we are going through a difficult time, the words of our friends are powerful. They can speak life and truth into our situation, or they can speak defeat and discouragement. It is sometimes difficult to decipher the truth from lies when our emotions are high and we are exhausted from our circumstances. The power of words can either encourage us to persevere or cause us to fall into despair. Job followed the lead of his friends and began to question where God was.

QUESTIONING THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Job developed an attitude of self-pity and defeat. After all, what good does it do to argue with God if He isn’t listening? Why cry out to a God who doesn’t bother to respond?

“So who am I that I should try to answer God or even reason with him? Even if I were right, I would have no defense. I could only plead for mercy. And even if I summoned him and he responded, I’m not sure he would listen to me. For he attacks me with a storm and repeatedly wounds me without cause. He will not let me catch my breath, but fills me instead with bitter sorrows. If it’s a question of strength, he’s the strong one. If it’s a matter of justice, who dares to summon him to court?” – Job 9:14-19

Job’s grief took a dark turn when he accused God of creating him and showing him love, then watching carefully for Job to mess up. He began to picture God as eager to punish him as soon as he made a mistake. He went from seeing God as good to seeing God as cruel.

“Yet your real motive — your true intent — was to watch me, and if I sinned, you would not forgive my guilt. If I am guilty, too bad for me; and even if I’m innocent, I can’t hold my head high, because I am filled with shame and misery.” – Job 10:13-15

How often do we see God with his hands strategically placed to pull the rug out from under us? Some of us grew up with this identity that each of us is dangling from a spiritual string, and that our God is eagerly poised to cut us off as soon as we sin. But this is not who God is, and we must reject this kind of thinking. Our God is patient, not wanting anyone to be destroyed but wanting everyone to repent (2 Peter 3:9).

DEMANDING THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Job went from sorrowfully feeling like God was no longer paying attention to demanding the opportunity to defend himself in front of God. He accused God of turning his back on him. He described himself as a target with God’s archers surrounding him, unfairly piercing him with arrows (16:12-13).

“But it is wrong to say God doesn’t listen, to say the Almighty isn’t concerned.” — Job 35:13

I agree with Elihu’s response to Job. It may feel at times as if God isn’t paying attention. Job felt that. The psalmist David felt that. Perhaps you are feeling that right now. Please let me encourage you with the truth that God loves you and He is never uninvolved; He is never uncaring and He never leaves you alone. I am believing with you that He has plans to turn your mourning into joyful dancing.

Weeping may last through the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
When I was prosperous, I said,
“Nothing can stop me now!”
Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.
Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.
I cried out to you, O Lord.
I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,
“What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave?
Can my dust praise you?
Can it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me.
Help me, O Lord.”
You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever! – Psalm 30:5b-12

Today’s Reading: Job 3-8; Psalm 38

When three of Job’s friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. When they saw Job from a distance, they scarcely recognized him. Wailing loudly, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air over their heads to show their grief. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words. – Job 2:11-13

Job was having a difficult time despite his faith in God. He felt the pain and suffered from the loss just like anyone else would. He was surrounded by friends who loved him enough to travel from their homes to spend time with him. Not only did they watch him grieve, they grieved alongside him. Their friendship was strong enough to be willing to sit in the dirt with him for an entire week.

I WISH I HAD NEVER BEEN BORN.

After a week of sitting in silence, Job put words to the emotions he was feeling. In his opinion, it would have been better to never have been conceived than to experience this level of sorrow. “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” (Job 3:25-26).

For a week, Job’s friends got it right. They did not try to solve his problems, but simply walked the journey of grief with him. The problems began when they opened their mouths and started talking. They got impatient with his sorrow and began rushing their friend through the grief process. Although Job’s friends were trying to give him advice through his time of suffering, their words were only adding to his pain. Take this statement by Eliphaz as an example:

“Your words have supported those who were failing; you encouraged those with shaky knees. But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches you. Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope? Stop and think! Do the innocent die? When have the upright been destroyed? My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same.” – Job 4:4-8

Eliphaz accused his friend of being quick to support and encourage others who were going through a hard time, but then to respond in surprise that trouble could actually land on his own doorstep. Eliphaz told Job he should consider it a joy that God would correct him. He reasoned that although God was the one causing Job this pain, God would also be the one to bind Job’s wounds and save him from his sinful ways (5:17-18).

DON’T I HAVE THE RIGHT TO COMPLAIN.

“One should be kind to a fainting friend, but you accuse me without any fear of the Almighty. My brothers, you have proved as unreliable as a seasonal brook that overflows its banks in the spring when it is swollen with ice and melting snow…Stop assuming my guilt, for I have done no wrong.” – Job 6:14-16, 29

We have probably all been there — either we have been the one going through a hard time and had well-meaning friends say something that made the pain worse, or we have been the one who has sincerely tried to comfort a friend only to end up saying the last thing they needed to hear. Our well-meaning efforts to express sympathy or ease someone else’s pain often fall flat. We have no choice but to walk away hoping our friend sees the sincerity of our attempt rather than the imperfection of our words.

Perhaps where we go wrong is that we want the mystery of God to be easily solvable — If you do what is right, God will bless you and make life easy for you. If things are not going right, then it has to be your fault. Simply confess your sins and you can go back to living the perfectly blessed life of one who has faith in God. Job’s friends were doing what we often do — they were trying to use human understanding to solve the mystery of who God is and why He allows tragedy to come into our lives.

“But if you pray to God and seek the favor of the Almighty, and if you are pure and live with integrity, he will surely rise up and restore your happy home. And though you started with little, you will end with much.” – Job 8:5-6

Job’s friend, Bildad, assumed that earthly blessings come to the righteous and the wicked can never prosper here on earth. We have all heard this prosperity gospel, and probably believed it to some degree. But the fact remains that there are some godly Christians who live and die dirt-poor by earthly standards, and there are some very ungodly people who have everything they could possibly ask for in regard to their position and possessions. This is not always easy to understand, but our response to what seems unfair in life can be to simply trust God, even if we cannot find a reason for the pain we are going through. As Job did, we can look forward to our heavenly rewards instead of measuring our earthly possessions or comfort level.

Father God, we ask for wisdom in knowing how to respond to the pain and trouble life brings us. Thank you for the reminder this morning that you are a good God, and that you are present with us through the most difficult seasons of our life. Help us to rest in the knowledge that you are a faithful God, and that we can always trust your heart.

Lord, teach us how to authentically be available to those who are hurting. Give us the discernment to know when your Spirit has given us a word for someone else, and when we are supposed to simply be silently present. Give us patience as we allow our loved ones the season of grief that they need; remind us not to rush their sorrow. I pray this morning for those who are hurting and ask that you give them a new wave of peace today in the midst of their grief. May we all be conduits of your mercy to those around us. Amen.