There Is An End to Our Troubles…
We’ve been talking about Job this week. There is no doubt that Job suffered many things during his trial: losing his children, losing his wealth, losing his health. It looked like that there would be no end to the humiliation and shame he suffered, without even knowing why it came over him. While it is not known how long Job actually suffered, it is for sure it was more than a short time frame. It was anywhere between months and possibly even more than one year. Whatever the case, there was something that God was looking for in Job to turn his captivity and that occurs in Chapter 42:"
And now I see that I spoke of—but did not comprehend—
great wonders that are beyond me. I didn’t know.
4 You said, "Hear Me now, and I will speak.
I’ll be asking the questions, and you will supply the answers."
5 Before I knew only what I had heard of You,
but now I have seen You.
6 Therefore I realize the truth:
I disavow and mourn all I have said
and repent in dust and ash. Job 42;3-6 (The Voice)
In this passage Job is recounting the words he heard the Lord say to him (Vs4). Afterwards Job could only fall down and admit that before this question by the Lord he thought he knew what to say, and even what the reason for his dilemma was, pure and simple, God was after him. Yet, when Job actually saw God, not just speculating on His person, but actually hearing and seeing God in action, He saw the truth, He saw LOVE and MAJ ESTY. There was nothing he could do but fall down and repent in ashes.
It’s no different today. When we cease to give great platitudes of our wisdom, and finally LISTEN to the voice of God, actually see HIs Hand operating in our lives – we too, have no recourse but to see LOVE in action. We see it wrapped in GRACE and ushered to us in MERCY. We see that this God is not a far away genie in the sky that can be discussed over coffee so casually that we dare to flaunt our opinions as truth. Rather, we have to bow in reverence and submission and cry out to Him in repentance for thinking that we knew Him and actually begin to plead to KNOW Him, in the pardon of our sins, and the fellowship of HIs suffering. Real life, real blessings, real communion with God follow.
Maria