October 28 ~ Job 3:11-26
11-19 "Why didn't I die at birth, my first breath out of the womb my last?
Why were there arms to rock me, and breasts for me to drink from?
I could be resting in peace right now, asleep forever, feeling no pain,
In the company of kings and statesmen in their royal ruins,
Or with princes resplendent in their gold and silver tombs.
Why wasn't I stillborn and buried with all the babies who never saw light,
Where the wicked no longer trouble anyone and bone-weary people get a long-deserved rest? Prisoners sleep undisturbed, never again to wake up to the bark of the guards. The small and the great are equals in that place, and slaves are free from their masters.
20-23 "Why does God bother giving light to the miserable, why bother keeping bitter people alive, those who want in the worst way to die, and can't, who can't imagine anything better than death, who count the day of their death and burial the happiest day of their life? What's the point of life when it doesn't make sense, when God blocks all the roads to meaning?
24-26 "Instead of bread I get groans for my supper, then leave the table and vomit my anguish. The worst of my fears has come true, what I've dreaded most has happened. My repose is shattered, my peace destroyed. No rest for me, ever - death has invaded life."
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I knew a little lady named Ms. Esther who was very ill. She had trouble getting her breath on a good day. There was really nothing the doctors could do for her except keep her comfortable, and yet she lingered for months in a nursing home. She had several trips to the hospital, and each time, we would all think, “this is it! God will surely call Ms. Esther home this time!” And the next thing you know, Esther would be back at the nursing home.
Over and over again, Ms. Esther told her loved ones how ready she was to die. She would say, “I just don’t understand why the Lord doesn’t take me.” On the surface, it did seem odd… Heaven would be so glorious for Ms. Esther, a devoted, faithful Christian lady. Why didn’t God reward her and take her home? There we go again, trying to second guess GOD! Don’t we get it yet that His timing is always perfect?!
God did call Ms. Esther home, but not before she had blessed countless others in His name. She lingered, befriending young aids and nurses at the nursing home. Her loving, kind faithful spirit was a witness to others, and God knew this! He left her on this earth doing His work until He was satisfied that it was enough, and then He called her to Him.
I believe we seriously underestimate God’s capacity to use us in all situations. We ask why He allows our good young Christian men to fight a war in Iraq, forgetting the witness they can provide to those who fight alongside them – not to mention the people in the country they are visiting. We ask why God allows a little 9-year-old boy to suffer for months while his lungs deteriorate, and why another young child will have to die in order for this boy to live. And we forget that God has used that little boy to show others how powerful and mighty and loving and merciful He is. We question why God would allow a hurricane to destroy most of a major city and many of its residents – if not physically, then certainly in spirit – and yet we forget to recognize the thousands of volunteers who served food from trailers for weeks on end and worked in shelters and provided clothing and refuge for those in need… and shared the love of Christ in the bargain.
God’s timing is always perfect. He knew what was best for Ms. Esther, and He knows what is best for you and me. Are you trusting Him today, or are you asking “why me?”
©2007 Debbie Robus
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October 27 ~ Job 3:1-10
1-2 Then Job broke the silence. He spoke up and cursed his fate:
3-10 "Obliterate the day I was born. Blank out the night I was conceived!
Let it be a black hole in space. May God above forget it ever happened. Erase it from the books! May the day of my birth be buried in deep darkness, shrouded by the fog, swallowed by the night. And the night of my conception - the devil take it! Rip the date off the calendar, delete it from the almanac. Oh, turn that night into pure nothingness -no sounds of pleasure from that night, ever! May those who are good at cursing curse that day. Unleash the sea beast, Leviathan, on it. May its morning stars turn to black cinders, waiting for a daylight that never comes, never once seeing the first light of dawn. And why? Because it released me from my mother's womb into a life with so much trouble.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Why Me, Lord? That’s the name of a song made famous by Kris Kristofferson in 1971. Do you suppose that Kristofferson got the idea from Job? Job really doesn’t ask “why me?” Rather he says, “Let me die! Pretend I was never born. Turn back the clock and change history.” BUT… and this is important… he still does not blame God!
Almost 2 years ago, a classmate of mine was fighting a battle with breast cancer. Becky and I talked several times during the course of her illness, and one day she said, “You know, I could ask ‘why me?’ but I get to thinking about it, and I wonder, ‘why NOT me?’” To be able to ask that question in the face of such serious struggle and suffering is a sign of incredible faith in God.
You see, God will never give us more than we can handle. REALLY! It may seem like things are piling up on us and we are drowning in “bad” things and situations, but God can use all of that for good. He can use any one of us and any of our experiences for His glory.
So on your roughest day… in your darkest hour… the cry to God should not be “erase me from the books and pretend I never existed,” but rather, “bring it on, Lord, and I’ll give YOU the glory for victory in YOU!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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October 26 ~ Job 2:11-13
Three of Job's friends heard of all the trouble that had fallen on him. Each traveled from his own country - Eliphaz from Teman, Bildad from Shuhah, Zophar from Naamath - and went together to Job to keep him company and comfort him. When they first caught sight of him, they couldn't believe what they saw - they hardly recognized him! They cried out in lament, ripped their robes, and dumped dirt on their heads as a sign of their grief. Then they sat with him on the ground. Seven days and nights they sat there without saying a word. They could see how rotten he felt, how deeply he was suffering.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
When my brother was very ill and near the end of his life, he reached a point where he needed morphine to control his pain and discomfort. He was incredibly swollen… his liver had stopped filtering out the toxins from his body, and he was in serious pain.
My brother was a very energetic, friendly guy, and as a nurse, he befriended all he encountered… his patients, the wait staff in restaurants, the checker at the store, and most certainly those he knew well. The start of a morphine drip signaled the beginning of “the end,” and all of his friends and family were there. As his fellow nurses set up the line for the drug and got him settled in his bed, he was surrounded by loving, friendly faces. Aids and nurses who were not even assigned to his case came to sit with him and show their love and support. They laughed about antics from childhood. They told stories of experiences they had shared at the hospital and in recent years of serving those who needed home health and Hospice.
It wasn’t that these people didn’t care that my brother was not himself, but they didn’t care about how he looked. They saw beyond the outward appearance to the inner man. And on his last somewhat lucid night, they sat and shared the time with him for hours on end. They sat and “suffered quietly” with him.
I would like to think that in a time of suffering or need, my friends would come to support me. But more importantly, I would like to think that I would come to the aid of my friends and family. I would like to think that I shared my faith by being faithful to those I love… even in their darkest moments. Surely these friends of Job’s were men of God. I can imagine that after they showed their solidarity by tearing their clothing and crying out they also shared their faith with God. I can imagine they said, “Hang in there, brother… we’re with you all the way, and so is God!” And He truly is.
So I ask you… when your friends are suffering and/or in need, where are you? Are you a friend who comforts and keeps others company? I pray that you will examine your life and how you share your faith with others. Is there someone you owe a visit?
©2007 Debbie Robus
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October 25 ~ Job 2:1-10
1-3 One day when the angels came to report to God, Satan also showed up. God singled out Satan, saying, "And what have you been up to?" Satan answered God, "Oh, going here and there, checking things out." Then God said to Satan, "Have you noticed my friend Job? There's no one quite like him, is there - honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil? He still has a firm grip on his integrity! You tried to trick me into destroying him, but it didn't work."
4-5 Satan answered, "A human would do anything to save his life. But what do you think would happen if you reached down and took away his health? He'd curse you to your face, that's what."
6 God said, "All right. Go ahead - you can do what you like with him. But mind you, don't kill him."
7-8 Satan left God and struck Job with terrible sores. Job was ulcers and scabs from head to foot. They itched and oozed so badly that he took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself, then went and sat on a trash heap, among the ashes.
9 His wife said, "Still holding on to your precious integrity, are you? Curse God and be done with it!"
10 He told her, "You're talking like an empty-headed fool. We take the good days from God - why not also the bad days?" Not once through all this did Job sin. He said nothing against God.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Sheesh! It’s not easy being faithful, is it?! I think of little Job McCully and all he has endured. I think of his pain and suffering since February and how many months he has put up with tubes and needles and tests and medicines and fevers and loneliness and trouble breathing. I think of his parents who have set aside jobs, home, friends, and their very lives to spend all of their time attending to Job’s needs and sitting with him at the hospital, serving as his advocate with the medical staff. And yet, day after day, they write on their blog and praise God. They quote scripture and talk of how deeply they are digging into the Word and how much stronger they have become in their faith because of all of this.
God did not make Job sick, and He has not made Job McCully sick. But God has used this situation to draw countless numbers of people closer to Him. The impact little Job has had doesn’t stop with his parents and family members. It ripples out to his friends, his classmates, his community and church, neighboring communities, and even to YOU!
We take the good days from God – why indeed not also the bad days? Look around you and see how blessed you are. You may have just been whining and complaining about something… if so, ask yourself, are you praising God in the bad days as well as the good?
©2007 Debbie Robus
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October 24 ~ Job 1:13-22
13-15 Sometime later, while Job's children were having one of their parties at the home of the oldest son, a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys grazing in the field next to us when Sabeans attacked. They stole the animals and killed the field hands. I'm the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened."
16 While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, "Bolts of lightning struck the sheep and the shepherds and fried them—burned them to a crisp. I'm the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened."
17 While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, "Chaldeans coming from three directions raided the camels and massacred the camel drivers. I'm the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened."
18-19 While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, "Your children were having a party at the home of the oldest brother when a tornado swept in off the desert and struck the house. It collapsed on the young people and they died. I'm the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened."
20 Job got to his feet, ripped his robe, shaved his head, then fell to the ground and worshiped:
21 Naked I came from my mother's womb, naked I'll return to the womb of the earth. God gives, God takes. God's name be ever blessed.
22 Not once through all this did Job sin; not once did he blame God.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Score Job – 1; Satan – 0! I wonder… could we be this faithful? I think about the people of New Orleans who lost everything in Hurrican Katrina. They lost their homes, their businesses, and in many instances, their loved ones. And yet, many of them persevered. They found shelter wherever they could until the storm passed. They made arrangements to return and rebuild. They worshipped wherever they could.
If a massive tornado hit your town and wiped out everything you owned and even took your family, how would you react? Would you be like Job? Would you continue to praise God? Or would you blame Him and cave.
It really is a matter of faith. Either you believe that God is a loving God who would never desert you and deserves your blessings in all situations, or you have given in to Satan and his attempts to drag you down and pull you away from God and into a life of sin. I’m not saying it is easy. I’m not saying you won’t be tempted to cry out to God, “Why are you doing this to me?” But believe me, HE is not causing any of your misfortune. HE represents your way out. DO NOT BLAME GOD! God’s name be ever blessed!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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October 23 ~ Job 1:6-12
6-7 One day when the angels came to report to God, Satan, who was the Designated Accuser, came along with them. God singled out Satan and said, "What have you been up to?" Satan answered God, "Going here and there, checking things out on earth."
8 God said to Satan, "Have you noticed my friend Job? There's no one quite like him—honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil."
9-10 Satan retorted, "So do you think Job does all that out of the sheer goodness of his heart? Why, no one ever had it so good! You pamper him like a pet, make sure nothing bad ever happens to him or his family or his possessions, bless everything he does—he can't lose!
11 "But what do you think would happen if you reached down and took away everything that is his? He'd curse you right to your face, that's what."
12 God replied, "We'll see. Go ahead—do what you want with all that is his. Just don't hurt him." Then Satan left the presence of God.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Man! What if your mom and dad told a known criminal that he could take everything you owned, as long as he didn’t hurt you? Would you feel deserted by your parents? Would you be angry with them? Would you want to run away and live apart from them?
What if your parents were pretty sure you would not do this? What if they were confident that, no matter what, you would love them and stick by them… at all costs?I hope that God never tests me like He tested Job.
I hope that I am never put in a position where I have ample reasons to feel like I want to turn my back on God. There was a time when I’m not sure I could have passed such a test of faith. I would like to think that I am at a place in my Christian walk where this would be a no-brainer. But still, I thank God for not testing me in this manner. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want the devil to have that level of control over me… even with God’s blessing.
But the point is this. We have to be ready to stand up to such a test. We have to be so strong in our faith and devotion and service to God that even if He hands us to the devil and says, “go ahead… see what he/she is made of!” we do not bend or break. We must be so filled with the Holy Spirit that we can stand up to any test and focus completely on the cross and Jesus. Tests will come. They may not be as serious as those given Job, but we will be tested with choices and chances to sin and fall short, and we must be ever diligent in our faith and our determination to follow Christ. I pray that I will be up to the challenges… will you?
©2007 Debbie Robus
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October 22 ~ Job 1:1-5
1-3 Job was a man who lived in Uz. He was honest inside and out, a man of his word, who was totally devoted to God and hated evil with a passion. He had seven sons and three daughters. He was also very wealthy—seven thousand head of sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred teams of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and a huge staff of servants—the most influential man in all the East!
4-5 His sons used to take turns hosting parties in their homes, always inviting their three sisters to join them in their merrymaking. When the parties were over, Job would get up early in the morning and sacrifice a burnt offering for each of his children, thinking, "Maybe one of them sinned by defying God inwardly." Job made a habit of this sacrificial atonement, just in case they'd sinned.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Some of you will be parents some day. Some of you have already reared your children. If you are not yet a parent, I want you to consider Job’s example. He went to God on behalf of his children… just in case they might have sinned against Him. He “interceded” on behalf of his children. And this scripture says Job did this regularly.
I know that my mother prays for me on a regular basis. Like Job, she “intercedes” on my behalf and probably prays for my health and well-being, and knowing my mother, she asks for forgiveness and restoration from God for any sins I have committed. And that is an awesome gift! Any time someone prays for me, I feel incredibly blessed. And I know that God listens to the prayers of others on my behalf.
I try to do the same for others. I pray for family, friends, fellow church members, world leaders, and YOU. I ask God’s protection and blessings on each person I encounter. And I feel certain He listens.
But back to Job… I think it is a truly amazing gift to intercede for your children. In Job’s day, before Christ came and died on the cross for our sins, this meant not only praying to God, but sacrificing a burnt offering for each child… most likely a small animal. It was a lot of work! I encourage you to pray for others.
I encourage you, especially, to pray for your children. It’s not too early to start praying now… even for children you don’t yet have! God knows about them… when you will get them, what they will look like, what you will name them, and how their lives will develop. You can start now to ask Him to take your children in a certain direction… and to lead them in His ways. I believe He will listen. I believe it will make a difference. Make this one of your habits and see for yourself!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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