Lessons from the book of Job

I've been inclined to think about Job lately. I have had bouts of feeling very "put upon" by life in general and so I have tended to repeat over and over a paraphrase from early in the book of Job, "shall we accept good from God and not trouble?" [Job 2:10 NIV]

Here's the thing: I am so very busted! You see, I have been focusing only on "poor me." Two friends have spoken wisdom into my heart and mind in the last month. Yesterday morning when I woke up, I had understanding of what God wanted me know and understand through their words. And it isn't pretty!

"Job says, 'I am innocent, but God denies me justice. Although I am right, I am considered a liar; although I am guiltless, his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.' What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water? To his sin he adds rebellion; scornfully he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God" (Job 34:5-7; 37 NIV).

It is profoundly humbling when one realizes the depth and breadth of one's own sin. Throughout my day yesterday I lifted prayers seeking forgiveness for how I have allowed sin to be manifested in my life. Alternately I lifted prayers of gratitude. Gratitude for friends who have courage to lovingly correct and admonish me; gratitude most of all that God would even bother with one such as me--who has drunk "scorn like water; who is rebellious and multiplies words against God."

I have declared 2010 to be a year of JOY! God's abundant grace is truly reason to be joyful! I have my work cut out for me!

Blessings on your journey
Mary

I Pray

Do they think we would grow weary of miracles and joy?
Do they not believe we have the capacity for on-going good will?
Do they not desire for all goodness and love?
Do they not dream of peace in their own lives and the world?
Do they not hunger for unity and solidarity?
Do they not hope for generosity and kindness?
Do they not know how to speak life into the world?
Do they not thirst for truth?
Do they not long for justice?

I want a world full of miracles – reported on and recognized.
I believe in a world where good will is the norm and the standard.
I desire to live a life full of goodness and love.
I dream of peace in my town, my country, and around the globe.
I hunger for unity of heart as human beings.
I hope for generosity of spirit – at Christmas and always.
I strive to nurture life and holy living.
I thirst for truth.
I long for justice.

I pray.

© Mary Moss – December 23, 2008

The God Who Fills Heaven and Earth

Jeremiah 23:13,16-24

13. In the prophets of Samaria I saw an unsavory thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray. 16. Thus says the Lord of hosts: "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes; they speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. 17. They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, `It shall be well with you'; and to every one who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, `No evil shall come upon you.'" 18. For who among them has stood in the council of the Lord to perceive and to hear his word, or who has given heed to his word and listened? 19. Behold, the storm of the Lord! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked. 20. The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intents of his mind. In the latter days you will understand it clearly. 21. "I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied. 22. But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. 23. "Am I a God at hand, says the Lord, and not a God afar off? 24. Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord.

There is only one truth. There is only one God. There is only one way to live. God makes it very clear, throughout the history of the world – since Adam and Eve – what the expectation is! These verses offer a pretty good test of whether or not a prophet is from God, or is of man. And these verses from Jeremiah warn us that no good will come from following the prophecies of false gods—from manmade ideas and out of the weakness and sin of mankind.

Who among the pundits and the powerbrokers has stood in the council of the Lord? Who among the leaders and the rulers have perceived and heard God’s word? Who of those invading our homes and our minds and filling our ears and our hearts with promises have given heed and listened to what God says? This is what we must judge for ourselves every day. We must consciously, deliberately discern what is from God and what is not.

Once we make that decision, we must act upon it. We must structure our lives around what we believe. We must do the “little things” and the “big things” that put the world on notice that we worship a God who cannot be defined by man’s limitations, or limited by man’s creations. We honor and praise a God who possesses wisdom and might, mercy and tenderness, and who dispenses justice and judgment without impunity.

At the end of days, God’s hand will move across the horizon and strike down the false prophets, he’ll silence them and they will be no more. In the meantime, we must decide for ourselves who and what is right and just and good and true. Teach it to our children. Preach it to our neighbors. Live our lives accordingly. We will pay a price for our faith. We will stand out in the world. We will be scorned and ridiculed. But whose approval do we seek? Whose love do we need? Whose promise do we know to be immutable?

Each day we must ask ourselves these questions! Every morning we must commit ourselves anew to living by these truths. And our reward will be greater than we can even imagine! It will be worth it! It will be wonderful! And all our troubles will be washed away.

I hope you spend today reminding yourself who your God is, and remembering what He has promised you.

Beyond Comprehension or Imagining

Have you ever dealt with (or avoided dealing with!) an issue that just weighed you down, and nagged at you and was an underlying anxiety in every aspect of your life? I'm sure we all have, and today one of those issues for us was resolved in a way that I still can't quite wrap my head around! I won't share the particular details because they are not what is important, and they may serve to distract from my point.

For about a year there has been an issue in our lives (not a marital/family relationship issues) that has really caused us some strife in our relationship with God. We have been kind of hard-headed--I have been so in particular. It's one of those issues where we tell ourselves -- and God, "I can deal with this on my own." After you have repeated that sentiment enough times, you even start believing it.

But when we edge God out, when we don't even allow His guidance, we certainly cannot deal with it, at least not very well and not for very long! It continues to nag at us and crops up unexpectedly at the most inopportune times!

This morning things came to head and I found myself on my knees. I actually began to cry because I knew I was going to have to give up the last little bit of my pride in this situation and allow God to fix it, if it was to ever be resolved. When I finished I still didn't feel as if the situation could be fixed.

Within 2 hours though a series of phone calls and events took place that simply could not have been orchestrated my the will of man. I still am kind of numb because even though I have said many times that I know God loves me, until today I don't think I really comprehended just how much He does indeed love me.

Because of my submission, God was able to work His way in our lives. He brought about what needed to happen--not to relieve us of responsibility or accountability, but to reassure us that He was indeed in control and that he could and would bring things to fruition according to His plan. Of course, His plan is always to prosper us - to bring goodness and peace into our lives.

We now see a way clear to resolve the situation and to move forward with a new type of reassurance. The reassurance is not within or through ourselves, though. It is a reassurance that surrender = peace. Letting go of pride = comfort. Relying upon God = abundant provision beyond imagining.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. [Isaiah 43:3-4a NIV]

I'm not given to making declarations like this. I'm not about sensationalism or drawing attention to myself when I relate how God works in our lives. But I'm making this declaration: God is intimately and intricately involved in every single aspect of our lives, both the mundane and the extraordinary. He knows every breath we take. He comprehends the depth and breadth of our stubbornness and petulance. He loves us anyway.

He sent Jesus to earth to atone for our innate sinfulness and to win us eternal life. God's grace surpasses and far exceeds anything that the human mind can comprehend or imagine.

Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! [Isaiah 30:18]