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Humility, not humiliation…. (devo reflection)

Job 40:1-2 The LORD said to Job: “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? Let him who accuses God answer Him!”

This chapter doesn’t feel good at all. It doesn’t feel loving or holy or redemptive. The argument-averse part of me is retreating to a corner to cower as God lambasts Job for his arrogance. However, that narrative does not fit what I know of my Maker. God delights in our humility, not our humiliation. 

Job 40:3-5 Then Job answered the LORD: “I am unworthy—how can I reply to You? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer—twice, but I will say no more.”

God, in this chapter, is establishing His sovereignty. He is reminding Job of who He, God, is and who he, Job, is in relation. Unfortunately for my WHY-driven mind, there are no answers. “God is God,” and Job is not God. Making peace with that fact seems key.

Job 40:6-7 “Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm: “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that we don’t always get answers but that we do get Your presence, Your sovereignty, Your love. Teach me to make peace with the fact that You are God and I am not and there are things that I will never understand. Draw me closer. Amen.

Job 40:8 “Would you discredit My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?”

Have a blessed day.

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Justification…. (devo reflection)

Job 39:1 “Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?”

In previous readings of this chapter, I have always envisioned an angry God, interrogating Job, the phrase “Well, do ya, punk?” implied after every question. This reading, however, is different. I don’t feel God’s wrath at Job. I feel a desire for Job to understand that there are things he just cannot understand.

Job 39:9 “Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will it stay by your manger at night?”

Yesterday’s sermon was on the ways we justify ourselves and our actions, which has me pondering whether I am justifying a loving, compassionate God because that is the type of God I want. But I don’t think so. If “…faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen….” (Heb 11:1), then I have total faith in a Savior who loves me despite my fears, doubts, and questions.

Job 39:19 “Do you give the horse its strength or clothe its neck with a flowing mane?”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the faith that I have in Your love and sovereignty, Your compassion and grace. Draw me closer with every breath. Amen.

Job 39:26 “Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread its wings toward the south?”

Have a blessed day.

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God is present…. (devo reflection)

Job 38:1 Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm….

The first thing I glean from this verse is that God is present. Job has felt separated from Him since everything went wrong in the early chapters. Commentary seems to indicate that God came in the storm. But I’ve maintained throughout that God is with us always—even when things go horribly wrong, even when we can’t feel Him, even when nothing makes sense. God speaks here in verse one because He is with Job and has been through it all.

Job 38:2 “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?”

The English Standard Version translates this verse as “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?” Modern sensibilities regard ignorant as an insult, though here it simply means someone who does not know. Commentary suggests that God is being almost playful in His chastisement. I don’t quite see that, but, given all I know about how God feels about Job from the early chapters, I don’t think God is lambasting him here with the intent of humiliation. He wants Job to understand that he, Job, doesn’t know what he doesn’t know.

Job 38:3 “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for Your loving patience with us when we are in pain, fear, or doubt. We don’t understand Your ways, Lord. Thank You for Your fierce love and compassion, even through our questioning. Draw us closer. Amen.

Job 38:4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.”

Have a blessed day.

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But if not…. (devo reflection)

Job 37:14 “Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God’s wonders.”

I find myself wondering that this book is still going. Why? Job sat in utter misery for chapters and chapters. His friends comforted him, counseled him, and lectured him for chapters and chapters. Now this young upstart, Elihu, has been going for chapters and chapters. God hasn’t appeared. Nothing has changed. Why?

Job 37:15 “Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightening flash?”

My other scripture reading this morning took me to Daniel 3. The verses that struck me as particularly relevant were Daniel 3:17-18: “…our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not….” 

Job 37:23 “The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in His justice and great righteousness, He does not oppress.”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that You can and will deliver us, but if not…. if not…. even if we don’t understand, even if we can’t comprehend, even then, You are still sovereign, still loving, still compassionate and merciful. Even then. Draw us closer. Amen.

Job 37:24 “Therefore, people revere Him, for does He not have regard for all the wise in heart?”

Have a blessed day.

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On God’s behalf…. (devo reflection)

Job 36:1-2 Elihu continued: “Bear with me a little longer and I will show you that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.”

Today’s chapter, Elihu’s words and actions, brings Proverbs 26:12 to mind: “Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” This verse seems the epitome of the man described here. He feels like he accurately understands Job’s misfortune, and he thinks he is just the right man to defend God’s integrity, honor, and sovereignty.

Job 36:4 “Be assured that my words are not false; one who has perfect knowledge is with you.”

When I think about my role in God’s kingdom work, defending His honor, integrity, and sovereignty don’t factor in. I don’t see that as the work He places before me. Instead of defending His honor, He calls me to show His love. Instead of insisting on His integrity, He calls me to show His compassion. Instead of justifying His sovereignty, He calls me to show His mercy. He will leave the 99 to save the 1. He’s not interested in justification.

Job 36:5 “God is mighty, but despises no one; He is mighty, and firm in His purpose.”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that our job here is not to defend You but to remind people of Your fierce and unconditional love, no matter what. Help me never to forget what You call me to do. Draw me closer. Amen. 

Job 36:11-12 “If they obey and serve Him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword and die without knowledge.”

Have a blessed day.

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He knows our hearts…. (devo reflection)

Job 35:13 “Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea; the Almighty pays no attention to it.”

Elihu, bless him, is STILL talking. He still doesn’t truly understand Job’s misery nor his plea to God for understanding. But that doesn’t stop Elihu from continuing to wax eloquent on Job’s flaws, faults, and general unworthiness before God.

Job 35:14 “How much less, then, will He listen when you say that you do not see Him, that your case is before Him and you must wait for Him….”

I am reminded of (and thankful for) Jeremiah 17:10 here: “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind….” God knows Job’s heart. God KNOWS Job’s heart. It doesn’t matter what Elihu and all the others say, no matter how misguided, God knows the truth in Job’s heart. And so it is with us. He knows our hearts as well.

Job 35:15 “…and further, that His anger never punishes and He does not take the least notice of wickedness.”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder of how dangerous, how damaging my misconceptions and my actions and words based on those misconceptions can be. Help me to live a life of compassion and love, LORD. Draw me closer. Help me to shine Your light. Amen.

Job 35:16 “So Job opens his mouth with empty talk; without knowledge he multiplies words.”

Have a blessed day.

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What if I’m wrong?…. (devo reflection)

Job 34:5 “Job says, ‘I am innocent, but God denies me justice.’”

Elihu has his mind made up about Job’s guilt, Job’s fault in why he has lost so much and why his life is falling apart. Elihu is convinced that he is correct in his assessment of the situation and in his pronouncement of Job’s guilt. Elihu chooses only Job’s words that will help Elihu prove his theory, and he twists those words to make them fit what he sees as the truth. His speech here isn’t accurate nor is it helpful.

Job 34:6 “‘Although I am right, I am considered a liar; although I am guiltless, his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’”

Once again I find myself having to resist the urge to condemn Elihu instead of learning from his error in judgement. I think of situations where I have mentally supplied reasons for another person’s actions and condemned that person in my mind, never stopping to consider “What if I’m wrong?” I’ve been mental judge and jury without ever bringing compassion into the equation. Jesus, help me.

Job 34:7-8 “Is there anyone like Job, who drinks scorn like water? He keeps company with evildoers; he associates with the wicked.”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the eyes of hope and compassion with which I am reading Job. Reading Job in this light truly draws me closer to You, for which I am eternally grateful. Draw me closer still. Amen.

Job 34:9 “For he says, ‘There is no profit in trying to please God.’”

Have a blessed day.

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Sound and fury…. (devo reflection)

Job 33:1 “But now, Job, listen to my words; pay attention to everything I say.”

As I was reading this second chapter of Elihu’s long, wordy speech, Shakespeare’s Macbeth came to mind, specifically the soliloquy in Act 5, scene 5, “…It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” This feeling was further enhanced by commentary, which called Elihu “an astonishingly pompous little windbag.” 

Job 33:31 “Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.”

But I am left trying to read a deeper significance into this chapter, into young, wordy, self-assured Elihu. What’s his purpose? What are we supposed to learn from him? Is he a cautionary tale about not being too full of yourself, about not inserting yourself into someone else’s misery and trying to “save” them? Is he a reminder that even though we may think we know, we must always be mindful that God’s ways are not our ways and we must proceed with caution as we seek to be compassionate and not condemning?

Job 33:32 “If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, for I want to vindicate you.”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. I know that if I set my heart and mind to You, I can always leave Your word a little closer to You than I started. Draw me to You. Help me, always, to treat others with the compassion with which You treat me. Amen.

Job 33:33 “But if not, then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Have a blessed day.

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A life of compassion…. (devo reflection)

Job 32:6 “So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said: “I am young in years, and you are old; that is why I was fearful, not daring to tell you what I know.”

What a scene: we are at the ash-heap at the edge of town. Job, who has lost everything, including his health, is reduced to scraping pus with pot shards, sitting in the ashes. His friends are livid because they know he must have unrepented sins that are causing his misery. To them the answer is simple: repent, turn back to God, and God will turn His face towards you again.

Job 32:7 “I thought, ‘Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.’”

But Job won’t play their game. He is steadfast in his story that there is no hidden sin in his life and if God would only listen, he would plead his case. And now Elihu joins the fray—a young upstart who thinks he knows everything, though we have no idea what he knows because “it takes him twenty-four verses to say, ‘Look out! I’m going to speak!’” (according to commentary).

Job 32:8 “But it is the spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the wisdom that I have no idea what I don’t know, what I don’t understand. Help me to live a life of compassion, Lord. When others are hurting, help me to be a source of comfort and hope and not a source of self-righteousness and empty words. Draw me closer to You. Help me to shine Your light. Always. Amen.

Job 32:9 “It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right.”

Have a blessed day.

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A life of compassion…. (devo reflection)

Job 31:35 (“Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing.”

This chapter is where Job tips into the land of parable to me. No human can be utterly blameless and without sin. When I look at New Testament verses such as Matt 5:22 “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment….” and James 4:17 “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is a sin,” then, regardless of where we land right at this moment, we have all sinned in one way or another at one time or another, whether by action or inaction, thought or word or deed.

Job 31:36 “Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown.”

Surprisingly, this doesn’t leave me feeling hopeless. It leaves me feeling compassionate. I am a sinner saved by undeserved grace. How can I, then, in good conscience, refuse to show grace to those in my life who don’t deserve it? The short answer is that I can’t, I shouldn’t. I should extend the same grace on my best day that Jesus extended to me on my worse day. 

Job 31:37 “I would give Him an account of my every step; I would present it to him as to a ruler.)—“

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. I recognize that I may well be comparing apples to oranges when looking at Job’s life and mine, Old Testament and New Testament, but I see a strong lesson here, regardless, a lesson that draws me closer to You and closer to Your people. Thank You. Continue to draw me closer. Help me to live a life of compassion. Amen.

Job 31:40b … The words of Job are ended.

Have a blessed day.