Tag Archives: God’s Presence

January 16

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Job 38-39

“Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm.” The thing about reading words is that you can’t hear tone of voice. Was God angry? Was He impatient? Was there kindness and concern in His tone? When I started to read these chapters today I was reading them as though God was angry. After all, he spoke out of the storm. But half way through chapter 38 it occurred to me that maybe God was speaking to Job like a concerned Father who pulls his son up on his lap to explain things to him. So I went back and pictured that scene as I read.

I think God might get our attention with the storm, but I think He knows we do our best listening and learning when the storm is over and we can think. Job my son, God says, I’m going to explain to you who I am. You’ve survived a storm. Now listen carefully, son. You have a lot to learn.

As I was reading and thinking about Job sitting on God’s lap, leaning against God’s chest with God’s arms wrapped around him, and with God speaking lovingly in his ear I found myself a little jealous. Who wouldn’t want that for themselves? What about the answers to my questions? But I am reminded that my answers have been lovingly compiled and preserved in the pages of the Bible. God’s Word became flesh. And until I can physically see Him I can spiritually climb onto His lap through the pages of His book.

Am I being treated unfairly? Read about Joseph, Jesus, Paul. Am I grieving over the loss of a loved one? Read about Job, Jesus, Mary and Martha. Does God care about me personally? Read Paul’s letters, get to know Jesus through the gospels.

The accounts of real people in a real world are preserved in these pages and are there to guide and encourage us. The very thoughts of the Creator were transfered to paper and pencil by godly men who allowed God to speak through them. If I want to know God I need only to read what He inspired them to write about Himself.

So I’ll continue to climb up onto His lap each day as I read His Word. Sometimes I’ll be convicted. Sometimes I’ll be chastised. Sometimes I will feel complete joy. But always those arms will tighten around me as I draw closer to Him, as I learn more and more about Him and about myself, and as I allow Him to be the Father He longs to be to me.

January 13

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Job 30-32

Job is still trying to make sense of what has happened. He examines his life closely and still feels he has lived a righteous life. I didn’t take time to count the “if”‘s in these verses but there are many. Job says, in the condensed version… if I was unfair, stingy, judgmental, if I was unfaithful to my wife or put my trust in gold I would have disobeyed God and could understand my suffering.

But Job stands firm in his belief that he did his best to be a godly man. And he was.

God is telling us through Job’s story that health and wealth are not connected to obedience. There are no guarantees that if you live a good life only good things will happen to you. If that were so people would go to God for the wrong reason… for what’s in it for them instead of going to God because of who He is.

So what is the incentive for godly living if I can’t be assured life will be easy? And what’s to prevent me from enjoying the lusts of the world if it rains on both good and bad people anyway?

I can say first hand that the benefits of godly living include a clear conscience, a blessed assurance, peace, hope, satisfaction, strength, and the knowledge that I am loved and forgiven. You just can’t buy those things no matter how wealthy you are.

God, thank you for blessing us with your Presence, more precious than gold. And thank you that, whether good times or bad, you are right there. Help us to realize everything that happens in this lifetime happens to draw us to you and to show you to a lost world who needs you. May you find us faithful because we love you.

January 11

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Job 22-26

Job is very confident in God. He doesn’t understand God and questions why these things are happening to him. He longs to speak to God face to face to present his case but realizes that is not possible.

Then he says…But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

That’s what God wanted Job to learn about himself. God doesn’t “test” us to learn something about us he doesn’t know. He knows everything about me including the number of hairs on my head. God allows things to happen in our lives so we can test ourselves.

2012 taught me that yes, I DO believe God is able to get us through the hard times. Yes, my faith in God doesn’t depend on easy living. Yes, God works through the hardest of times and reveals his great love. It taught me that God is trustworthy, loving, and does all things well. It taught me that it’s ok to question God but in the end, I can lay it all at his feet and rest in his care.

Job trusted God so much that, even  in the midst of suffering, he knew he would be ok in the end. Better than ok. He would be like gold.

Thank you,God for teaching me about you… and about me. Help me to learn the lessons you have for me today. Thank you for knowing the way I take and for the assurance that you are with me every step.