November 30 ~ Job 42:12-17
12-15 God blessed Job's later life even more than his earlier life. He ended up with fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand teams of oxen, and one thousand donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. He named the first daughter Dove, the second, Cinnamon, and the third, Darkeyes. There was not a woman in that country as beautiful as Job's daughters. Their father treated them as equals with their brothers, providing the same inheritance.
16-17 Job lived on another 140 years, living to see his children and grandchildren—four generations of them! Then he died—an old man, a full 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.)
This has been a long study, and at times, I bet you have thought, “this is some sad, depressing stuff!” And you are right! But so many times, our lives are sad and depressing - and quite often it is because we lose sight of our relationship with God. In Job’s case, God was NOT going to leave him, and He was pretty sure that Job wouldn’t curse HIM and turn away. So, God allowed the devil to bring all sorts of trials to Job’s life. And Job stood up to the test, although he surely got confused along the way and did some major blaming that was pretty misguided.
We do the same things. “Why is God doing this to us?” “Why is this happening to me?” “When will it be my turn?” And honestly, it’s all about us and very little about God… and therein lies the problem. I believe that God does bless the faithful. If Job had died, God would have taken him to Heaven. It’s not all about “stayin’ alive!” But it IS about living for God and serving Him and in a very small part, repaying Him for all He does for us. You may not live to be 140, and you may not have thousands of sheep and cattle or millions of dollars, but blessings will come. My prayer for you is that the wisdom of the Holy Spirit will live within you and allow you to recognize them!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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November 29 ~ Job 42:7-11
7-8 After God had finished addressing Job, he turned to Eliphaz the Temanite and said, "I've had it with you and your two friends. I'm fed up! You haven't been honest either with me or about me—not the way my friend Job has. So here's what you must do. Take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my friend Job. Sacrifice a burnt offering on your own behalf. My friend Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer. He will ask me not to treat you as you deserve for talking nonsense about me, and for not being honest with me, as he has."
9 They did it. Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did what God commanded. And God accepted Job's prayer.
10-11 After Job had interceded for his friends, God restored his fortune—and then doubled it! All his brothers and sisters and friends came to his house and celebrated. They told him how sorry they were, and consoled him for all the trouble God had brought him. Each of them brought generous housewarming gifts.
(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.)
Isn’t it funny that things haven’t really changed all that much even from Old Testament days? When God restored Job and blessed him, here came the relatives! But here’s the thing… Job was so happy to be blessed by God that I doubt he cared – or even noticed. Job was living in the overflow of serving God faithfully and not cursing Him, and he prayed for his misguided friends and asked God to bless them, too – and God did just that!
It takes a big person to admit when they are wrong. But look where it got Job and his friends! I can’t say that admitting your sins to God will bring you a doubled fortune and housewarming gifts, but it will bring you peace and joy and more blessings than you can count. And praying for your family and friends will have lasting benefits, also. So humble yourself before God today and admit that you need Him in your life. Pray for your family and friends. And then enjoy the blessings and restoration that God will surely deliver to you!
©2007 Debbie Robus
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November 28 ~ Job 42:1-6
1-6 Job answered God: "I'm convinced: You can do anything and everything.
Nothing and no one can upset your plans.
You asked, 'Who is this muddying the water,
ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?'
I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me,
made small talk about wonders way over my head.
You told me, 'Listen, and let me do the talking.
Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.'
I admit I once lived by rumors of you;
now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears!
I'm sorry—forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise!
I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor."
(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 was the last time you really, honestly, told God you were sorry for trying to run things yourself? When was the last time you sincerely humbled yourself before Him and asked for forgiveness for your arrogance and self-serving attitude and your sense of entitlement? If we are honest, we all need to do this pretty much daily. But the key is that we have to mean it!
Or maybe you have “lived by rumors” of God for too long. You haven’t truly experienced Him in your life. If this is the case, you can change this, too. All you have to do is say, “Father, I’m sorry. I’ve tried to do this without you, and I was wrong. I love You and I recognize Your power and your love for me, and I want You by my side each and every minute of every day.” If you will do this and make a serious effort to stay close to God, He will do the rest. He will guide your days and bless you and care for you and give you everything you need.
So what are you waiting for?
©2007 Debbie Robus
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November 27 ~ Job 40:15-24
15-24 "Look at the land beast, Behemoth. I created him as well as you.
Grazing on grass, docile as a cow—
Just look at the strength of his back,
the powerful muscles of his belly.
His tail sways like a cedar in the wind;
his huge legs are like beech trees.
His skeleton is made of steel,
every bone in his body hard as steel.
Most magnificent of all my creatures,
but I still lead him around like a lamb!
The grass-covered hills serve him meals,
while field mice frolic in his shadow.
He takes afternoon naps under shade trees,
cools himself in the reedy swamps,
Lazily cool in the leafy shadows
as the breeze moves through the willows.
And when the river rages he doesn't budge,
stolid and unperturbed even when the Jordan goes wild.
But you'd never want him for a pet—
you'd never be able to housebreak him!" has been carefully thought out.
I have no ulterior motives in this;
I'm speaking honestly from my heart.
(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.)
Dictionary.com says that a behemoth is a huge animal, possibly a hippopotamus. At any rate, it is an animal you have to respect because of its size and power, but you would not want it for a pet. And yet, God made it. He also made some magnificently beautiful spiders I wouldn’t want to touch and tiger cubs so cuddly and cute you want to squeeze them, but you know they grow into potentially deadly fierce adults. He made polar bears and manatee and whales and vipers, and they ALL answer to God. He can cause them to do whatever He pleases.
God also made you and me – and that person in your class who drives you nuts, and the teacher who irritates you to no end, and your parents and your sisters and brothers and your pastor and your president! And just like those animals who seem to have the abilities to do all sorts of amazing things – both good AND bad – when God speaks, He expects them to listen.
God loves us. He wants us to be well and happy and to enjoy life. But He also wants us to recognize WHO is in charge. Philippians 2:10 says “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth” (Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States.) Have you spent some time on your knees lately?
©2007 Debbie Robus
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