Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Out of the storm
I love the story of Job. Job is going along in life. He has a good family, successful, and he loved God. Then, in the span of just one day, he lost virtually everything. The first chapter of Job records three times the phrase, "while he was still speaking another messenger came to tell..." That's one very bad day!!! In the chapters that follow, we observe Job in his journey trying to make sense of this dark part of his life.
We know from the beginning of the book of Job, God allows, dare I say encouraged, the devil to challenge Job's faith. God tells Satan, "there is no one on earth like Job, he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." (ch. 1:8) But Satan shoots back that this is only because all is well in Job's life. So God allows Satan to test Job. How can this be?? Isn't God supposed to protect us from evil?? Was God there for Job??
These questions bring me to the meat of this post. A specific phrase is recorded twice for us (in 38:1 and 40:6): "and God answered out of the storm." God spoke to Job. And it wasn't words of condemnation!!!! He didn't say "how dare you sit here in ashes wishing you were never born"!! God did not get angry that Job grieved his losses. When God spoke, it was words of love!! God spends all of chapters 38-39 and much of 40 describing His love and concern for all of creation. One part that my mom heart especially loves is 39:1-2 "Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn? Do you know the time they give birth?" If God cares about each wild animal and even knows exactly when they have babies, certainly he cares for me and the struggle I am in!!!!!
Reading deeper into the words, "and God answered Job OUT of the storm," I found immense comfort. Yes, Job was in a storm. Yes, God ALLOWED this storm. But Job was not ALONE. God answered him, and was IN THE STORM WITH JOB!! God did not just allow Satan to attack Job and walk away as uncaring and unconcerned. He was silent for a while, but was always there!! Then, He wraps Job in words of love and care. He says, "brace yourself like a man, I will question you, and you shall answer me." (38:3, 40:7)
Yes, our God does allow storms to rage in our lives. But take comfort, He is right there with us, right in the midst of the tumult! Can I say, like Job, "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted... surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know... My ears had heard you but now my eyes have seen you." (excerpts from 42:2-5)
When we can answer with a heart of peace, somehow that storm seems to calm, and then one day we discover that wonderful truth of "and it came to pass." Storms do come to an end eventually!!!
We know from the beginning of the book of Job, God allows, dare I say encouraged, the devil to challenge Job's faith. God tells Satan, "there is no one on earth like Job, he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." (ch. 1:8) But Satan shoots back that this is only because all is well in Job's life. So God allows Satan to test Job. How can this be?? Isn't God supposed to protect us from evil?? Was God there for Job??
These questions bring me to the meat of this post. A specific phrase is recorded twice for us (in 38:1 and 40:6): "and God answered out of the storm." God spoke to Job. And it wasn't words of condemnation!!!! He didn't say "how dare you sit here in ashes wishing you were never born"!! God did not get angry that Job grieved his losses. When God spoke, it was words of love!! God spends all of chapters 38-39 and much of 40 describing His love and concern for all of creation. One part that my mom heart especially loves is 39:1-2 "Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn? Do you know the time they give birth?" If God cares about each wild animal and even knows exactly when they have babies, certainly he cares for me and the struggle I am in!!!!!
Reading deeper into the words, "and God answered Job OUT of the storm," I found immense comfort. Yes, Job was in a storm. Yes, God ALLOWED this storm. But Job was not ALONE. God answered him, and was IN THE STORM WITH JOB!! God did not just allow Satan to attack Job and walk away as uncaring and unconcerned. He was silent for a while, but was always there!! Then, He wraps Job in words of love and care. He says, "brace yourself like a man, I will question you, and you shall answer me." (38:3, 40:7)
Yes, our God does allow storms to rage in our lives. But take comfort, He is right there with us, right in the midst of the tumult! Can I say, like Job, "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted... surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know... My ears had heard you but now my eyes have seen you." (excerpts from 42:2-5)
When we can answer with a heart of peace, somehow that storm seems to calm, and then one day we discover that wonderful truth of "and it came to pass." Storms do come to an end eventually!!!
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