Here's what I got out of 5 and 6. We are slaves; we can be a slave to sin and loose everything, or we can be a slave to God and win everything, including PEACE (5:1)
Being a slave isn't something we long for, we want to be our own boss, make our own decisions, call the shots, make something of ourselves.
Being a slave or servant of God might involve tough times (5:3,4)
So how can we trust this Master? It's because He first became our slave, in a way. He died for us - - that's kindof like being a slave to a person or a situation; He did it willingly, not because He had to.
So, with that element in the picture, we know that He'll do whatever He can to bring about the best for us. When sin increases, His grace, help, and forgiveness increases (5:20)
The very least we can do is follow Him wherever He leads us! Open hands, open hearts -- we can trust Him!
But God did not forget Noah -- here's what I want you to hear; God won't forget you either -- even when someone "rocks your boat!" when the rain comes, when the insults get hurled, when you're cooped up with stuffiness and smelliness -- God won't forget you!
and don't You (I'm speaking to myself here!) forget HIM! 8:20 "The FIRST THING Noah did when he touched land was to a) kiss the ground b) build an alter c) do a 1/2 marathon. You guessed it - B; his first act was to thank God.
9:3 is when people were ok'd to eat meat; but not meat with blood in it.
9:12 "Then God drew Noah's attention to the sky, saying "Look! There is the sign of my promise" Very like God to direct Noah's eyes UP! For one year+ he'd been in the boat, and he no doubt wanted to feast his eyes on what his world now looked like, but God reminded him and us to keep looking up.
vs 16 "The rainbow will be in the clouds for BOTH of us to see, and I will not forget the promise I made to you. That's a strange thought to me - that God would need a reminder; I mean, He's GOD! But maybe it was just an assurance for us humans - something we could understand; that would be very much like God -- giving us one more illustration, one more string around our finger so we'd understand Him a little bit better:)
I zone out on the geneology stuff:(
11:4 (the plan to erect the escape tower) simply said: we don't trust God and His rainbow promise.
Without communication - relationships die and it's impossible to move forward toward a common goal.
Just 2 thoughts from reading Joshua today. 1 - Joshua was told to cripple the horses & burn the chariots, which he did. If they hadn't crippled the horses, then they could easily have built more chariots & then would have trusted in their numbers more than the Lord.
Sometimes God purposely takes away what we think is our support & help so we will rely wholly on Him for deliverance.
Lastly, why could Judah not drive out the Jebusites? I don't think it was God's issue. The Hivites were the ones who they had made the treaty with, but not the Jebusites.
King Hazor was scared to death -- putting together a huge coalition against the Israelites; but in the end -- that just made God's victory MORE amazing. So sometimes it takes problems overwhelming us -- and "there's no way out" to make God's intervention totally awesome!
Psalms 20:7 jumped out at me as we look at God's command to Joshua in 11:6. Total trust in the Lord and not our own cunning, cleverness, or power.
I love the interchange between Caleb and Joshus. They had battled it out for 6 years - never letting up. Now there was peace; two old men (a view of 2nd hand Lions comes to vue!) I wonder if they were about the same age?
14:6 "Do you remember what Moses . . . said to you and me years ago at Kadesh Barnea?" I just picture them kicked back, drinking goat's milk and thinking back over all their exploits! "We gave our report with faith, hope and courage in what the Lord could do" vs 8 -- very cool! That IS something to brag about!! What GOD could do!
Good ol Caleb -- never say die! vs 10,11 "I'm now eighty-five years old and as strong as ever. I'm just as full of energy as I was when Moses sent me to spy out the land. I can still go to war and fight side by side with those half my age!!" What a guy! It doesn't sound like there was any jealousy in his heart that Joshua got all the leadership roles, he was content to back him up -
and the final tribute to Caleb in vs 14 "he believed the Lord God of Israel with all his heart and was ready to follow Him anywhere". Reminds me of Rev 14:4 "The followed the Lamb wherever He goes".
Caleb was a generous man and a good father. He goes beyond what Achsah asked for. And he provided his daughter with a man that was fearless and willing to work hard for her hand (I hope he was kind and handsome to boot!!)
Maybe they couldn't drive them out because of their own lack of faith or desire to take the time - maybe they were focused on settling down instead of following God's commands to completion?
So many times we settle for the ease now, and later it comes back to bite you. Thinking of DR little quote "live like no one else so that later you can live like no one else"
6:2 "Be merciful, for I am exhausted. Please help and heal me. Exhausted physically, exhausted mentally -- it all ties together; and God brings hope; hope for acceptance, hope for forgiveness, hope for justice - -
6:7 "I'm aging faster than my enemies" I was thinking about this -- if you get past one enemy, another one will certainly rise up. You can run, but you can't hide. You can move -- more will show up, Your enemy can die or move, more will be born or show up. Your enemy can be a person, a situation, or worst of all (you really can't escape this one) yourself. So life is really a daily exercise of trusting HIM.
Ps 7:3-5 This echoed of Job to me. David really did try to do the right thing; but he was willing to be held accountable.
Ahhhhh - sinking into Psalms 8. Thank you Lord for your heavens and all the spender! It constantly changes from one art form to the next as we move through the day and the night:)
and yes, I agree David: "I am awed. What is man that you concern yourself over him? Of what value is he that you continue to care for him?" That's really true!! I bring nothing to the relationship to benefit God, except relationship-wise, in fact - I'm a major inconvenience and expense! I often bring heartache (just like a little child and a parent)
"You trusted him by placing him in charge of everything you created, making him a steward of your possessions" What in the world did we do, or do we do that earns that trust? Nothing -- I am totally unworthy and unfit to be in charge of the beautiful world God created -- and look at what a mess we humans have made of it! Hmmmmmmm
Beautiful, HUGE flakes this morning! Goes well with Ps 8; singing praises to the God of creation.
6 starts out with pleading for God to not rebuke in anger or discipline in rage. Rage is irrational & uncontrollable. People under it's influence loose their ability to make sound decisions. I don't see God & rage being compatible. Putting those 2 together & the words "discipline" & "rage" together are oxy morons. Rage also begets fear & not the reverent, worshiping kind.
But then in the following verses David begs/pleads for God to protect him & shows that he knows God's character because he pleads to "unfailing love" (v4). David isn't cowering in fear, waiting for the blow, in v1. He knows he messed up & deserves discipline but knows the One he is presenting his case to also. It's just a different kind of relationship than what I've experienced. I'm glad to see it. Makes me think.
I think we all can relate to v6 & 7. Sometimes you think you'll never stop.
I really appreciate the hopeful finish. Shows me that David again, knew his Father God, his Protector & was confident of relief/healing/resolution/victory.
Ps 7 carries that theme too. God is my Shield! If I did something wrong, then I deserve punishment, but I'm being attacked for nothing. Protect me, defend me, fight for me! Love it!
Our earthly father is supposed to be our protector & show us that part of our Heavenly Father. When that isn't accomplished then we start to defend ourselves & we lose respect & trust for both our earthly & Heavenly Fathers.
David thanked God for His justness v17. Shows he had trust for whatever God would do for him. Shows that he had surrendered to God & would let his Heavenly Father fight for him.
hmmm Ps 8. I love contemplating nature & seeing God's love on display in so many different ways. His majestic Name does fill all the earth! YEAH!!!!
Oh yeah Linda, I was thinking of our stewardship of the earth too! I was thinking as I read that part of what a risk He took. He put us in charge of it KNOWING we'd destroy it & not appreciate it at all. Just amazing the depth of His character of Love!
Eliphaz presents God as the Judge to present your case to & He will rectify it. As if God made a mistake in what happened to Job; as if God isn't aware of what has happened. And, as we talked about last year, that God only blesses those who do not sin & only punishes those that do.
So I wonder, if Eliphaz had something happen to him, did he hide it? Did he (as so many of us do) put on the "happy face" as if nothing were wrong. Because if someone saw him struggling, then they'd think he wasn't a good enough "Christian" or whatever they called them back then.
v17,18 are very true in that God does allow wounding, evil, hurt, etc in this world. He definitely provides the healing for those things as well. But doesn't want to hurt us to get us to worship Him. Then it'd be out of fear & not love. The evil that exists in this world need only affect our physical bodies. Not our character, not who we are, which is the only thing that we take to heaven with us. Evil can't take away our eternal life unless we allow it to do so.
6:8-13 Job definitely sounds suicidal BUT the bright spot is that he knows in his heart he hasn't denied God (v10). But he feels very alone - even with so called friends with him & a wife. He is full of despair & has lost the desire to live (v11) All that he enjoys has been taken from him. I'm thinking the loss of his children has to be the heaviest of all. He can't endure anything else (v11). I can empathize with wanting the rhetoric to stop. To just be left alone & to cease to exist. Then, as he said earlier, he'd be at peace, at rest. He's too overwhelmed & exhausted by grief to even fight for his life.
And his friends are practically driving him even further to the brink with their nonsense & twisted views of God. Here would be a great place to run away from it all. I'm thinking though, that the thing that keeps him here is his knowledge of the character of God, his relationship with Him. He just can't align what has happened with his Friend. He can't accept what his friends are saying as Truth because he KNOWS THE Truth, the Way & the Life.
But yet, Job speaks exactly what he is feeling & he knows God can handle it, but his friends can't. I've learned you can't always share the depths of your heart with your friends. Even if they are real friends, sometimes the truth of how you feel makes them worry & they have enough going on in their lives. It's not always good to dump on them. But God can always handle it.
I like how 6 ends with Job calling out his friends. Do you think you're convincing me while you disregard my cry of desperation? (v26). Stop assuming my guilt for I have done no wrong (v29) Do you really think I'm lying? That I have no comprehension of right vs. wrong? (v30).
Yeah! You tell 'em Job! Tell them to just listen to your heart with theirs for awhile. They don't have to say anything, but just listen to your pain. I know men like to fix things but you'd think after awhile they'd get a clue!
I agree - Job is suicidal, and I don't blame him. It sounds like he is struggling against his feelings (I do that all the time) vs 4 "I feel that . . . , I seems that . . ." and Job is combating his feelings with what he knows about God.
vs 10 "If I died now, at least I would have this consolation . . . that I never hardened my heart against the commands of the Holy One" -- this is Job's one hope to hang on to, his one thread of peace.
You tell 'em Job "When a man is afflicted with what God allows to happen, he needs devoted friends who will understand and help . . . and though you are my friends, you are as helpful as we-weather streams that dry up just when a man needs water." (14-15) I need to be a better friend to those hurting around me, to listen, to point them to hope instead of trying to give advice or "fix-it" advice!
7:14,21 You come here trying to play God, frightening me with your supposed visions and dreams and staring at me . . If you REALLY want to play God, forgive me and accept me" Wow -- what a great picture of Job's view of God!
Spent most of my time meditating on the 1st 2 verses of Is 12 this a.m. Was really blessed by them, but I can't put my thoughts into words that would make sense. I just was blessed by this whole chapter today.
People talk a lot about looking fwd to Jesus' coming, myself included. 13 paints a vivid picture of those who have not chosen God's Way but their own heart's desires. Pretty scary.
I see 14:3 as a prophecy of heaven too: "...that wonderful day when the LORD gives his people rest from sorrow and fear, from slavery and chains.." I know chains are being broken all the time, physically, emotionally, mentally & spiritually, but to have complete release & relief FOREVER from these 4 things - WOW, I have a hard time wrapping my brain around it. I'm so accustomed to them, we all are.
I wonder what messages the prophets would have for the superpower nations today. Probably not too much different. We think we're unstoppable, but like it says in 14:27 "The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has spoken—who can change his plans? When his hand is raised, who can stop him?"
What a turn around for Israel too in 17. They leave God & He leaves them. They are not untouchable because they are Israel. We are not untouchable because we are Christians. When we turn our backs on God, He gives us what we want & He leaves. So scary. v10 says He is the only One who can save & hide us. Why do we think we can do better?
But when we turn back to Him, wow! He heals, He restores, He comforts, He protects & defends. Obviously Job shows, that even the godly suffer things, but our future is so much brighter with Him by our side.
Chris -- I spent some time thinking about the 4 areas you mentioned that our Savior helps us: "He restores, He comforts, He protects & defends" first of all I see him as my DEFENDER/PROTECTOR -- those two go hand in hand. If I'm trusting Him, I'll hide behind him (protecting) and let him take on my accuser (defending) so He's my offense and my defense. Once the accuser is put down, He turns to me and comforts me. I see myself crying - shaking and He picks me up and holds me tight -- carrying me away from the place of battle and putting me gently down with His encouragement (restoration) This is the picture I have from the words you wrote Chris.
Isaiah 12 sounds like something David might have written in Psalms! It reminds me of the song Hosannah (What the Lord has done) and . . . by the way, we're singing that tomorrow for praise!!
Wow -- 13 may be talking about the city of Babylon, or the end time Babylonian situation. So many connects (I'm thinking that John read this chapter!) 13:4 the great multitude (Rev 7:9) and the woman in labor (that's in Rev and 1 Thes 5:3) Verse 10 reminds me of what Jesus talked about in Matt 24. So I think Babylon was an illustration of what God can and will do to nations that turn from him and fill themselves up with pride.
I like how my version connects the fall of Lucifer with the king of Babylon:
14:12 "How could this degradation happen to the great king of Babylon? the same way it happened to Lucifer, the son of the morning, who was cast out of heaven and down to earth. This same attitude caused the mighty king of Babylon to fall .. . Lucifer was full of pride" That seems clear to me.
Always in the gloom and doom of our humaness, God holds out hope when we return: 14:3 -- relief! (and thanks Chris for pointing out that this is also a beautiful pic of heaven!) 14:30 The Lord will watch out for His people and lead them to green pastures as a shepherd leads his sheep. There they will be safe (ahhh -- this is the heal, restore, comfort, protect, defend in a picture!!)
And then there's the prediction of the Messiah right in the middle of the Moab warning! It's like little bursts of hope sprinkled everywhere!!"His throne will be a throne of love. In faithfulness He will govern the people and see that justice is done. His scepter will be a scepter of righteiousness" Who wouldn't want a ruler like THAT??
Wow Linda, I really like that picture of God comforting us. I was asked earlier this week what comfort meant to me & I drew a blank. It was just a word in our vocabulary but had no meaning but that pic of God, that makes sense.
So hard it today's reading to know what to blog about. I mean, how do you pick just 1 point out of a sermon by Jesus to focus on? Every point has meaning. Different things have struck me over the years as I've read this & it's always based upon where I am in my walk with God. Which, makes sense.
I was thinking of the end of 7 which talks about people who have taken the name of Christian, but then make their own standard to live by. They use the right words & rhetoric, but they are doing what their heart's desire is & not surrendering their heart fully to Christ. They do just enough to look good, but He doesn't have their full devotion.
There's a space in them that they are not allowing Him into. Whether it's what I watch, read, listen to, how I talk, where I go, eat, drink, think, etc., everything I do must be according to His will, not mine. But what I find is that there are somethings that I want to do & I know that He doesn't approve. So I can choose to continue in them or I can let Him show me His better way.
Same thing with people who pick & choose with the 10 Commandments. It's interesting how people can justify breaking each & every one of them. Jesus say's here that those simple 10 things are what we will be judged by (7:23). You can argue all you want, but it's just the Bible & you're just arguing against God.
The story of the wise builder & foolish builder cement the idea of total surrender. What happens in a Christian's life vs wicked person's life may be the same thing. They both have trials & hardships (rains/floods). But the true, surrendered Christian has a foundation. His conscience is clear & his character stands, because of that surrender to Christ. Jesus covers him with His blood.
The sinner that is not fully surrendered & fights for their own will & way has no such firm foundation to fall back on for support. He falls & it's catastrophic! It's also very sad & I bet Jesus cries over the potential that was lost.
The trick is for us who are surrendering daily, to also surrender judgement on others and let Jesus grow them, just as He has us. To encourage, pray, & speak Truth to those He puts us in contact with. We never know end results of our simple, daily interactions. What if something we did or said caused a fall....what if it help avoid one?
5:5 "When you acknowledge God as the source of life and abilities, you will feel heaven's joy!" I was thinking that if we are envious of other's abilities - - we are being ungrateful for the abilities he's put within us. So not only are we dealing with the pain of jealousy, we're also living in a state of ingratitude - - those are heavy chains.
I wrote something at the bottom of my Bible that tied into 5:24 "It's better for you to leave, go and make things right and come back later, than to stay there and worship God with hatred and pride in your heart." Here's what I wrote: "It's impossible to worship God and be proud at the same time". What do you think?
I like the way this is worded: 5:29 "If there's anything that keeps leading you into sin, you need to get rid of it, even if it's as valuable to you as one of your eyes"
Going the "extra mile" is the kind of attitude that gives freedom to your spirit! I long for that -- again, it's all about that submissive spirit -- that abandonment of selflessness:):)
6:6 When you pray, find a solitary place to talk quietly with God! Nothing better!!
6:34 Just do faithfully what you should be doing today and live one day at a time -- great cure for worry:)
7:13 Don't follow the crowd. The road leading to destruction is wide and easy and many are on it. Kindof like live like no one else, so you can live like no one else!!
7:21 You see, not everyone who respects me necessarily loves me - - oooo, there's a thought; an introspective thought.
Here's what I got out of 5 and 6. We are slaves; we can be a slave to sin and loose everything, or we can be a slave to God and win everything, including PEACE (5:1)
ReplyDeleteBeing a slave isn't something we long for, we want to be our own boss, make our own decisions, call the shots, make something of ourselves.
Being a slave or servant of God might involve tough times (5:3,4)
So how can we trust this Master? It's because He first became our slave, in a way. He died for us - - that's kindof like being a slave to a person or a situation; He did it willingly, not because He had to.
So, with that element in the picture, we know that He'll do whatever He can to bring about the best for us. When sin increases, His grace, help, and forgiveness increases (5:20)
The very least we can do is follow Him wherever He leads us! Open hands, open hearts -- we can trust Him!
But God did not forget Noah -- here's what I want you to hear; God won't forget you either -- even when someone "rocks your boat!" when the rain comes, when the insults get hurled, when you're cooped up with stuffiness and smelliness -- God won't forget you!
ReplyDeleteand don't You (I'm speaking to myself here!) forget HIM! 8:20 "The FIRST THING Noah did when he touched land was to a) kiss the ground b) build an alter c) do a 1/2 marathon. You guessed it - B; his first act was to thank God.
9:3 is when people were ok'd to eat meat; but not meat with blood in it.
9:12 "Then God drew Noah's attention to the sky, saying "Look! There is the sign of my promise" Very like God to direct Noah's eyes UP! For one year+ he'd been in the boat, and he no doubt wanted to feast his eyes on what his world now looked like, but God reminded him and us to keep looking up.
vs 16 "The rainbow will be in the clouds for BOTH of us to see, and I will not forget the promise I made to you. That's a strange thought to me - that God would need a reminder; I mean, He's GOD! But maybe it was just an assurance for us humans - something we could understand; that would be very much like God -- giving us one more illustration, one more string around our finger so we'd understand Him a little bit better:)
I zone out on the geneology stuff:(
11:4 (the plan to erect the escape tower) simply said: we don't trust God and His rainbow promise.
Without communication - relationships die and it's impossible to move forward toward a common goal.
I just can't get over the fact that they were in that ark for a year & no one is recorded as going berserk! That has got to be God keeping them sane.
ReplyDeleteFrom being free to go anywhere to X # of feet for 1 year. Wow. That would be tough.
You nailed it on the tower & trust. And I definitely skimmed down past the geneology stuff too!
I had a comment about Romans 5:3 & living with open hands/hearts, but I will save it for an opportune time....to be continued.
Just 2 thoughts from reading Joshua today.
ReplyDelete1 - Joshua was told to cripple the horses & burn the chariots, which he did. If they hadn't crippled the horses, then they could easily have built more chariots & then would have trusted in their numbers more than the Lord.
Sometimes God purposely takes away what we think is our support & help so we will rely wholly on Him for deliverance.
Lastly, why could Judah not drive out the Jebusites? I don't think it was God's issue. The Hivites were the ones who they had made the treaty with, but not the Jebusites.
King Hazor was scared to death -- putting together a huge coalition against the Israelites; but in the end -- that just made God's victory MORE amazing. So sometimes it takes problems overwhelming us -- and "there's no way out" to make God's intervention totally awesome!
ReplyDeletePsalms 20:7 jumped out at me as we look at God's command to Joshua in 11:6. Total trust in the Lord and not our own cunning, cleverness, or power.
I love the interchange between Caleb and Joshus. They had battled it out for 6 years - never letting up. Now there was peace; two old men (a view of 2nd hand Lions comes to vue!) I wonder if they were about the same age?
14:6 "Do you remember what Moses . . . said to you and me years ago at Kadesh Barnea?" I just picture them kicked back, drinking goat's milk and thinking back over all their exploits! "We gave our report with faith, hope and courage in what the Lord could do" vs 8 -- very cool! That IS something to brag about!! What GOD could do!
Good ol Caleb -- never say die! vs 10,11 "I'm now eighty-five years old and as strong as ever. I'm just as full of energy as I was when Moses sent me to spy out the land. I can still go to war and fight side by side with those half my age!!" What a guy! It doesn't sound like there was any jealousy in his heart that Joshua got all the leadership roles, he was content to back him up -
and the final tribute to Caleb in vs 14 "he believed the Lord God of Israel with all his heart and was ready to follow Him anywhere". Reminds me of Rev 14:4 "The followed the Lamb wherever He goes".
Caleb was a generous man and a good father. He goes beyond what Achsah asked for. And he provided his daughter with a man that was fearless and willing to work hard for her hand (I hope he was kind and handsome to boot!!)
Maybe they couldn't drive them out because of their own lack of faith or desire to take the time - maybe they were focused on settling down instead of following God's commands to completion?
ReplyDeleteSo many times we settle for the ease now, and later it comes back to bite you. Thinking of DR little quote "live like no one else so that later you can live like no one else"
6:2 "Be merciful, for I am exhausted. Please help and heal me. Exhausted physically, exhausted mentally -- it all ties together; and God brings hope; hope for acceptance, hope for forgiveness, hope for justice - -
ReplyDelete6:7 "I'm aging faster than my enemies" I was thinking about this -- if you get past one enemy, another one will certainly rise up. You can run, but you can't hide. You can move -- more will show up, Your enemy can die or move, more will be born or show up. Your enemy can be a person, a situation, or worst of all (you really can't escape this one) yourself. So life is really a daily exercise of trusting HIM.
Ps 7:3-5 This echoed of Job to me. David really did try to do the right thing; but he was willing to be held accountable.
Ahhhhh - sinking into Psalms 8. Thank you Lord for your heavens and all the spender! It constantly changes from one art form to the next as we move through the day and the night:)
and yes, I agree David: "I am awed. What is man that you concern yourself over him? Of what value is he that you continue to care for him?" That's really true!! I bring nothing to the relationship to benefit God, except relationship-wise, in fact - I'm a major inconvenience and expense! I often bring heartache (just like a little child and a parent)
"You trusted him by placing him in charge of everything you created, making him a steward of your possessions" What in the world did we do, or do we do that earns that trust? Nothing -- I am totally unworthy and unfit to be in charge of the beautiful world God created -- and look at what a mess we humans have made of it! Hmmmmmmm
Beautiful, HUGE flakes this morning! Goes well with Ps 8; singing praises to the God of creation.
ReplyDelete6 starts out with pleading for God to not rebuke in anger or discipline in rage. Rage is irrational & uncontrollable. People under it's influence loose their ability to make sound decisions. I don't see God & rage being compatible. Putting those 2 together & the words "discipline" & "rage" together are oxy morons. Rage also begets fear & not the reverent, worshiping kind.
But then in the following verses David begs/pleads for God to protect him & shows that he knows God's character because he pleads to "unfailing love" (v4). David isn't cowering in fear, waiting for the blow, in v1. He knows he messed up & deserves discipline but knows the One he is presenting his case to also. It's just a different kind of relationship than what I've experienced. I'm glad to see it. Makes me think.
I think we all can relate to v6 & 7. Sometimes you think you'll never stop.
I really appreciate the hopeful finish. Shows me that David again, knew his Father God, his Protector & was confident of relief/healing/resolution/victory.
Ps 7 carries that theme too. God is my Shield! If I did something wrong, then I deserve punishment, but I'm being attacked for nothing. Protect me, defend me, fight for me! Love it!
Our earthly father is supposed to be our protector & show us that part of our Heavenly Father. When that isn't accomplished then we start to defend ourselves & we lose respect & trust for both our earthly & Heavenly Fathers.
David thanked God for His justness v17. Shows he had trust for whatever God would do for him. Shows that he had surrendered to God & would let his Heavenly Father fight for him.
hmmm Ps 8. I love contemplating nature & seeing God's love on display in so many different ways. His majestic Name does fill all the earth! YEAH!!!!
Oh yeah Linda, I was thinking of our stewardship of the earth too! I was thinking as I read that part of what a risk He took. He put us in charge of it KNOWING we'd destroy it & not appreciate it at all. Just amazing the depth of His character of Love!
ReplyDeleteEliphaz presents God as the Judge to present your case to & He will rectify it. As if God made a mistake in what happened to Job; as if God isn't aware of what has happened. And, as we talked about last year, that God only blesses those who do not sin & only punishes those that do.
ReplyDeleteSo I wonder, if Eliphaz had something happen to him, did he hide it? Did he (as so many of us do) put on the "happy face" as if nothing were wrong. Because if someone saw him struggling, then they'd think he wasn't a good enough "Christian" or whatever they called them back then.
v17,18 are very true in that God does allow wounding, evil, hurt, etc in this world. He definitely provides the healing for those things as well. But doesn't want to hurt us to get us to worship Him. Then it'd be out of fear & not love. The evil that exists in this world need only affect our physical bodies. Not our character, not who we are, which is the only thing that we take to heaven with us. Evil can't take away our eternal life unless we allow it to do so.
6:8-13 Job definitely sounds suicidal BUT the bright spot is that he knows in his heart he hasn't denied God (v10). But he feels very alone - even with so called friends with him & a wife. He is full of despair & has lost the desire to live (v11) All that he enjoys has been taken from him. I'm thinking the loss of his children has to be the heaviest of all. He can't endure anything else (v11). I can empathize with wanting the rhetoric to stop. To just be left alone & to cease to exist. Then, as he said earlier, he'd be at peace, at rest. He's too overwhelmed & exhausted by grief to even fight for his life.
And his friends are practically driving him even further to the brink with their nonsense & twisted views of God. Here would be a great place to run away from it all. I'm thinking though, that the thing that keeps him here is his knowledge of the character of God, his relationship with Him. He just can't align what has happened with his Friend. He can't accept what his friends are saying as Truth because he KNOWS THE Truth, the Way & the Life.
But yet, Job speaks exactly what he is feeling & he knows God can handle it, but his friends can't. I've learned you can't always share the depths of your heart with your friends. Even if they are real friends, sometimes the truth of how you feel makes them worry & they have enough going on in their lives. It's not always good to dump on them. But God can always handle it.
I like how 6 ends with Job calling out his friends. Do you think you're convincing me while you disregard my cry of desperation? (v26). Stop assuming my guilt for I have done no wrong (v29) Do you really think I'm lying? That I have no comprehension of right vs. wrong? (v30).
Yeah! You tell 'em Job! Tell them to just listen to your heart with theirs for awhile. They don't have to say anything, but just listen to your pain. I know men like to fix things but you'd think after awhile they'd get a clue!
I agree - Job is suicidal, and I don't blame him. It sounds like he is struggling against his feelings (I do that all the time) vs 4 "I feel that . . . , I seems that . . ." and Job is combating his feelings with what he knows about God.
ReplyDeletevs 10 "If I died now, at least I would have this consolation . . . that I never hardened my heart against the commands of the Holy One" -- this is Job's one hope to hang on to, his one thread of peace.
You tell 'em Job "When a man is afflicted with what God allows to happen, he needs devoted friends who will understand and help . . . and though you are my friends, you are as helpful as we-weather streams that dry up just when a man needs water." (14-15) I need to be a better friend to those hurting around me, to listen, to point them to hope instead of trying to give advice or "fix-it" advice!
7:14,21 You come here trying to play God, frightening me with your supposed visions and dreams and staring at me . . If you REALLY want to play God, forgive me and accept me" Wow -- what a great picture of Job's view of God!
Oh nice wording in that version! I've benefited from your listening heart many times Linda! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteback to ya!
ReplyDeleteSpent most of my time meditating on the 1st 2 verses of Is 12 this a.m. Was really blessed by them, but I can't put my thoughts into words that would make sense. I just was blessed by this whole chapter today.
ReplyDeletePeople talk a lot about looking fwd to Jesus' coming, myself included. 13 paints a vivid picture of those who have not chosen God's Way but their own heart's desires. Pretty scary.
I see 14:3 as a prophecy of heaven too: "...that wonderful day when the LORD gives his people rest from sorrow and fear, from slavery and chains.." I know chains are being broken all the time, physically, emotionally, mentally & spiritually, but to have complete release & relief FOREVER from these 4 things - WOW, I have a hard time wrapping my brain around it. I'm so accustomed to them, we all are.
I wonder what messages the prophets would have for the superpower nations today. Probably not too much different. We think we're unstoppable, but like it says in 14:27 "The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has spoken—who can change his plans? When his hand is raised, who can stop him?"
What a turn around for Israel too in 17. They leave God & He leaves them. They are not untouchable because they are Israel. We are not untouchable because we are Christians. When we turn our backs on God, He gives us what we want & He leaves. So scary. v10 says He is the only One who can save & hide us. Why do we think we can do better?
But when we turn back to Him, wow! He heals, He restores, He comforts, He protects & defends. Obviously Job shows, that even the godly suffer things, but our future is so much brighter with Him by our side.
Chris -- I spent some time thinking about the 4 areas you mentioned that our Savior helps us: "He restores, He comforts, He protects & defends" first of all I see him as my DEFENDER/PROTECTOR -- those two go hand in hand. If I'm trusting Him, I'll hide behind him (protecting) and let him take on my accuser (defending) so He's my offense and my defense. Once the accuser is put down, He turns to me and comforts me. I see myself crying - shaking and He picks me up and holds me tight -- carrying me away from the place of battle and putting me gently down with His encouragement (restoration) This is the picture I have from the words you wrote Chris.
ReplyDeleteIsaiah 12 sounds like something David might have written in Psalms! It reminds me of the song Hosannah (What the Lord has done) and . . . by the way, we're singing that tomorrow for praise!!
Wow -- 13 may be talking about the city of Babylon, or the end time Babylonian situation. So many connects (I'm thinking that John read this chapter!) 13:4 the great multitude (Rev 7:9) and the woman in labor (that's in Rev and 1 Thes 5:3) Verse 10 reminds me of what Jesus talked about in Matt 24. So I think Babylon was an illustration of what God can and will do to nations that turn from him and fill themselves up with pride.
I like how my version connects the fall of Lucifer with the king of Babylon:
14:12 "How could this degradation happen to the great king of Babylon? the same way it happened to Lucifer, the son of the morning, who was cast out of heaven and down to earth. This same attitude caused the mighty king of Babylon to fall .. . Lucifer was full of pride" That seems clear to me.
Always in the gloom and doom of our humaness, God holds out hope when we return: 14:3 -- relief! (and thanks Chris for pointing out that this is also a beautiful pic of heaven!) 14:30 The Lord will watch out for His people and lead them to green pastures as a shepherd leads his sheep. There they will be safe (ahhh -- this is the heal, restore, comfort, protect, defend in a picture!!)
And then there's the prediction of the Messiah right in the middle of the Moab warning! It's like little bursts of hope sprinkled everywhere!!"His throne will be a throne of love. In faithfulness He will govern the people and see that justice is done. His scepter will be a scepter of righteiousness" Who wouldn't want a ruler like THAT??
Wow Linda, I really like that picture of God comforting us. I was asked earlier this week what comfort meant to me & I drew a blank. It was just a word in our vocabulary but had no meaning but that pic of God, that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteSo hard it today's reading to know what to blog about. I mean, how do you pick just 1 point out of a sermon by Jesus to focus on? Every point has meaning. Different things have struck me over the years as I've read this & it's always based upon where I am in my walk with God. Which, makes sense.
I was thinking of the end of 7 which talks about people who have taken the name of Christian, but then make their own standard to live by. They use the right words & rhetoric, but they are doing what their heart's desire is & not surrendering their heart fully to Christ. They do just enough to look good, but He doesn't have their full devotion.
There's a space in them that they are not allowing Him into. Whether it's what I watch, read, listen to, how I talk, where I go, eat, drink, think, etc., everything I do must be according to His will, not mine. But what I find is that there are somethings that I want to do & I know that He doesn't approve. So I can choose to continue in them or I can let Him show me His better way.
Same thing with people who pick & choose with the 10 Commandments. It's interesting how people can justify breaking each & every one of them. Jesus say's here that those simple 10 things are what we will be judged by (7:23). You can argue all you want, but it's just the Bible & you're just arguing against God.
The story of the wise builder & foolish builder cement the idea of total surrender. What happens in a Christian's life vs wicked person's life may be the same thing. They both have trials & hardships (rains/floods). But the true, surrendered Christian has a foundation. His conscience is clear & his character stands, because of that surrender to Christ. Jesus covers him with His blood.
The sinner that is not fully surrendered & fights for their own will & way has no such firm foundation to fall back on for support. He falls & it's catastrophic! It's also very sad & I bet Jesus cries over the potential that was lost.
The trick is for us who are surrendering daily, to also surrender judgement on others and let Jesus grow them, just as He has us. To encourage, pray, & speak Truth to those He puts us in contact with. We never know end results of our simple, daily interactions. What if something we did or said caused a fall....what if it help avoid one?
5:5 "When you acknowledge God as the source of life and abilities, you will feel heaven's joy!" I was thinking that if we are envious of other's abilities - - we are being ungrateful for the abilities he's put within us. So not only are we dealing with the pain of jealousy, we're also living in a state of ingratitude - - those are heavy chains.
ReplyDeleteI wrote something at the bottom of my Bible that tied into 5:24 "It's better for you to leave, go and make things right and come back later, than to stay there and worship God with hatred and pride in your heart." Here's what I wrote: "It's impossible to worship God and be proud at the same time". What do you think?
I like the way this is worded: 5:29 "If there's anything that keeps leading you into sin, you need to get rid of it, even if it's as valuable to you as one of your eyes"
Going the "extra mile" is the kind of attitude that gives freedom to your spirit! I long for that -- again, it's all about that submissive spirit -- that abandonment of selflessness:):)
6:6 When you pray, find a solitary place to talk quietly with God! Nothing better!!
6:34 Just do faithfully what you should be doing today and live one day at a time -- great cure for worry:)
7:13 Don't follow the crowd. The road leading to destruction is wide and easy and many are on it. Kindof like live like no one else, so you can live like no one else!!
7:21 You see, not everyone who respects me necessarily loves me - - oooo, there's a thought; an introspective thought.