DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LESSONS FROM JOB #20 -- GOD (FINALLY) SPEAKS

LESSONS FROM JOB #20 – GOD (FINALLY) SPEAKS

"Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: 'Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.' " (Job 38:1-4)

In Chapters 38-41, God reveals Himself. He does not answer Elihu. He speaks directly to Job. God spoke to Moses out of a burning bush. He spoke to Daniel in a lions' den. He spoke to Job out of a whirlwind. God often reveals Himself "out of the whirlwind." When things go crazy in life and things seem out of control, when we are going through the tornado, God can reveal Himself. If we just hold tight and keep faith in Him, eventually we will begin to understand God's purpose. In the whirlwind, we may not understand all the reasons, but the ultimate goal is that we may know God better. Through all the questions God asked Job, we can know that God is the Creator of all things, and He is in control.  He is greater than all. Job finally got the picture. "The Job answered the LORD and said: 'Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer You? I lay my handover my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; yes, twice, but I will proceed no further' " (Job 40:3-5). Job was speechless when he really caught a glimpse of the how great God is. When we truly get a glimpse of God's greatness, our questions are muted. Oh, what a great God we serve.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LESSONS FROM JOB #19 -- FOCUS ON GOD

LESSONS FROM JOB #19 – FOCUS ON GOD

"With God is awesome majesty. As for the Almighty we cannot find Him: He is excellent in power, in judgment and abundant justice; He does not oppress. Therefore men fear Him; He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart." (Job 37:22b-24)

Now it is Elihu's turn to speak (Chapters 32-37). He is younger than the other "friends," but it seems that he has more wisdom than the others. Unlike Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, and even unlike Job, Elihu does not focus his attention on whether Job's suffering is because of sin, or question why the righteous suffer. Instead, Elihu focuses on the greatness of God – His power and His justice in judgment. So often when I am in a time of trouble, I look for answers in myself rather than looking to my Great God who does everything right according to His purposes. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your steps" (Proverbs 2:5-6). I may never know the answers, but I know that God and His doings are always good, whether I feel it or not. His ways are always good and just and I can trust Him.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LESSONS FROM JOB #18 -- SAME SONG, SECOND VERSE

LESSONS FROM JOB #18 – SAME SONG, SECOND (AND THIRD) VERSE

"Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:….." (Job 15:1)

Chapters 15-31 of Job are the same song, with the trio singing the verses of stanzas two and three, and Job singing the chorus in response. The attacks of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar continue the same theme – "Job, you are a sinner and you need to repent." Job's answering chorus is, "I don't understand why these things have happened to me and I can't find God for the answer." There is one thing that supports Job through these trials – His faith in the God he cannot see or feel. "I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" (Job 19:25-27). I may not have the answers to life's pains and struggles, but this I know: after I am dead and gone from this flesh, I shall see God. Oh, how my heart yearns within me! I love the song, "We Shall Behold Him, We Shall Behold Him, face to face in all of His glory." Then, if I still have any questions, they will be answered. Until then, my faith is in Him.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LESSONS FROM JOB #17 -- THE GREAT QUESTION

LESSONS FROM JOB #17 – THE GREAT QUESTION

"If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, till my change comes." (Job 14:14)

This is one of the great questions of life. Is there anything beyond what I am suffering? Is there any hope that this pain will pass, and I experience the good life again? From the human perspective, maybe yes and maybe no.  In the middle of my suffering, I often feel that things will never change.  Many troubles come, and they go. The pain heals and we get on with life. Job's saga shows that there can be life after suffering.  However, some things will be with us until we die. There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, and people who have it will suffer throughout their lives.  Jesus proved by His resurrection that there is life in the future. In His resurrected body, pain and suffering were gone. We shall live again because He rose from the grave to eternal life. If a man dies, he shall live again. That is the hope we live in – that in heaven there is no suffering, no pain, no tears, no night. Until then, I will wait "until my change comes" – when this mortal puts on immortality, when this body that is sown in corruption is raised in incorruption (I Corinthians 15:53 and 42). Without this hope, life is pitiable – miserable (I Corinthians 15:19). All we can do is endure the pain. Our real hope is that because He lives, we shall live also (John 14:19). That faith will take us through the suffering of this world. "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). Now that will be living!!!!

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LESSONS FROM JOB #16 -- I WILL TRUST GOD

LESSONS FROM JOB #16 – I WILL TRUST GOD – Job 12-14

"Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so I will defend my own ways before Him. He also shall be my salvation, for the hypocrite could not come before Him." (Job 13:15-16)

Job still does not have the whole picture. He thinks that what he is going through is from the hand of God. Job rightly believes that God is in charge. Job declared, "With God are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding" (12:13), and then he lists some ways that God is in control. Even though Job questions God and wants to defend himself before God ("I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God" – 13:3), still he has not lost his faith in His God. I think that God understands when we question and even want to tell Him what the score is. He knows our humanity. But the important thing is to keep that basic foundation: I will trust Him when things don't go the way I think they should, because God is God. That is living by faith.

Love, Dad