Please read Job 22, Job 23, Job 24, Job 25.  Head on back and I’ll share what I’m thinking about this morning!

Thankfully we can trust in the Lord to encourage us, because Job certainly is not getting encouragement from the friends. Eliphaz’s attack (the third attack, we should mention) is especially unkind (“Do you think it’s because He cares about your purity that He’s disciplining you, putting you on the spot? Hardly! It’s because you’re a first-class moral failure, because there’s no end to your sins” 22:4-5 MSG).  Try reading it aloud – it’s be tough to put a sweet tone of voice along with words like that.  Job is surrounded.  What is his response?

If I knew where on earth to find Him,
    I’d go straight to Him.
I’d lay my case before him face-to-face,
    give Him all my arguments firsthand.
I’d find out exactly what He’s thinking,
    discover what’s going on in His head.
Do you think He’d dismiss me or bully me?
    No, He’d take me seriously. (22:3-7 MSG)

I think Job is comparing God to Eliphaz  at this moment, and he recognizes that there is no comparison.  Would God bully him like Eliphaz did? No. One thing that stands out to me today: Job does not judge God the Father based on the behavior of His children.  We do that, don’t we?  For example, one might leave a church because a church member was unkind, project other’s behavior on to the Lord.  Job doesn’t do that – he remains faithful to the God who is faithful to him, even if His children are unkind.

That’s great lesson and example for us today.

Please read Job 19, Job 20 and Job 21, and head on back!  We’ve got a familiar verse today – I wonder if it is one of your favorites too!  I know I’ve been sticking with the Message translation this year (I want to read familiar verses in new language so I resist the urge to “skim” 🙂 ), but sometimes, I’ve got to go back to the NKJV.  This is the version I was raised on, and some verses are so comforting to me, imagined highlighted and circled and starred and memorized in my favorite Bible!

When I read these words within the context of Job’s speech and situation, it is so much more powerful:

“For 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!” (19:25-27 NKJV)

Job’s skin IS destroyed (remember 1:7-8? “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”). His children and property ARE gone (remember 1:13-22?  Child after child reported dead).  His wife’s advice is that Job “curse God and die” (remember 2:9?). To all this, what is Job’s response, over and over again?

“Job arose….. and he fell to the ground and worshiped”  (1:20)

 ^“In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong” (1:22)

I’m just backing up a little today to remind us of the context.  It’s extraordinary that job stay faithful to the Lord.  He knows that his circumstances do not define God’s character.  Our circumstances do not define God’s character either-  let’s take our cue from Job and shout an “in spite of” or “anyway” praise to the Lord today!

Please read Job 12, Job 13 and Job 14. Are you hanging in here with Job?  It’s not everyone’s favorite book (but I do love it!).  Here’s what I am thinking this morning – 

You can just hear Job’s despair, his almost-complete lack of hope… but he still continues his dialogue with God.  Communication is key in relationship, and God is all Job has at this point. (He’s all we have, too, when you think about it – though we are blessed with much, He is the only thing we cannot do without!)

“True wisdom and real power belong to God;
    from Him we learn how to live,
    and also what to live for.
If He tears something down, it’s down for good;
    if He locks people up, they’re locked up for good.
If He holds back the rain, there’s a drought;
    if He lets it loose, there’s a flood.
Strength and success belong to God;
    both deceived and deceiver must answer to Him.” (12:13-16)

It’s so important to take our hurts to our Father, rather than allowing pain to drive us away from Him. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. ❤ 

Please read Job 8-11, and come on back.  Job’s test have begun, and his friends are starting to chime in…. Here’s what I am thinking about this morning:

I think Job’s friends mean well, and there are even words they say that are true –

“God is famous for great and unexpected acts; there’s no end to His surprises” 5:9

“what a blessing when God steps in and corrects you” 5:17

“Does God mess up? Does God Almighty ever get things backward?” 8:2

“God will set everything right again, reestablish your fortunes” 8:6

Isn’t God full of surprises? Yes! Isn’t it a blessing when God offers His correction? Surely, it is motivated by His love and care for us. Does He ever gets things wrong?  No, never! Will He set everything right again when His children are hurt?  Every single time!

I do think they mean well, but it is almost as if they are speaking without the experience of deep pain.  They want to point out God’s goodness, but then immediately connect Job’s troubles to Job’s behavior. They cannot seem to understand why these things would happen when a God that they know as good is on the throne.  They’ve got to explain it away by calling Job’s test a punishment. It’s as if they want to plug God into a “if you’ll do this, He’ll do that” formula, but life isn’t that simple.

People today do that too – we want to make sense of trauma and we can’t always do that. The only answer is trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6)!

Please read Job 5, 6, 7 and come on back.  Let’s highlight a few things together – I’d love to know what you are thinking as well!

It’s so powerful seeing Job faithful to God while he is in so much pain.  Our faithfulness to the Lord cannot be determined by our circumstances. God is always faithful to us!

Job’s friends have a great deal to say, and I’m not sure it is all helpful.  Let’s talk about that tomorrow!

Please read Job chapters 1-4. Are you surprised that we are already in Job?  The first time I read through the Bible in chronological order, it was a surprise to me!  This is where this order gets exciting – we see prophets and people who used to be separated by hundreds of pages brought close together in time.  I love it! I also love how this order “keeps me on my toes” – we may have read the Bible over and over again, but this new order lets us read it in a new way, connect different events and people, and really see the timeline of Bible history come to life.

What a powerful testimony Job had – the first words about him were that he was blameless and full of integrity.  The Message translation says it like this:

He was honest inside and out, a man of his word,

who was totally devoted to God and hated evil with a passion.

What else is there to say: LIFE GOALS!

Job’s tests begin: first his family and fortune, then his health.  I know his friends get a “bad rap”, but I honestly think they are trying to help, in their limited experience. Let’s see what you think as we get further into the book of Job!

Genesis 47:28-31, Genesis 48, Genesis 49, and Genesis 50:

Jacob’s final words were powerful – what a legacy he left. I love how personal he was with each of his sons, blessing them specifically.  Our Father God is just as specific with each of us, giving us exactly what we need when we need it, and encouraging each of us in our varied gifts and skills and personalities.

Again, we see a tremendous example of restoration, forgiveness and love when Joseph speaks to his brothers after Jacob’s death – it’s worth reading one more time:

So they sent Joseph a message, “Before his death, your father gave this command: Tell Joseph, ‘Forgive your brothers’ sin—all that wrongdoing. They did treat you very badly.’ Will you do it? Will you forgive the sins of the servants of your father’s God?” When Joseph received their message, he wept. Then the brothers went in person to him, threw themselves on the ground before him and said, “We’ll be your slaves.” Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid. Do I act for God? Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now—life for many people. Easy now, you have nothing to fear; I’ll take care of you and your children.” He reassured them, speaking with them heart-to-heart. Genesis 50:16-21

Why did Joseph weep at his brothers’ request?  I think maybe (one reason of many, I’m sure) because he had forgiven them long ago, and he didn’t want them to have that fear in their hearts any longer. He remembered himself how painful separation from his family was – unforgiveness causes separation as well.  Let’s be as quick as Joseph was to forgive people and attribute good things to God.  Easy now, you have nothing to fear ❤

Please read Genesis 45:16-26, Genesis 46, and Genesis 47:1-27.  Come on back and let’s talk about a highlight or two!

Joseph’s brothers return to Egypt, and this is good news for everyone, not only Joseph. The Word says that Pharaoh and all his workers considered this good news as well.  This shows us again that Joseph had gained such favor with Pharaoh, and possibly even become friends.  Pharaoh and Joseph must have become closer on a personal level as well, he clearly knew his history and his desires when it came to his family from Canaan. Don’t we feel glad when our friends receive glad news?

When the brothers start the journey to collect their father Jacob and bring him back, Joseph gives them this advice:

“Take it easy on the journey; try to get along with each other” Genesis 45:24 MSG

Isn’t that nice advice for us today? Take it easy on the journey, and try to get along!

Please read Genesis 42, Genesis 43, Genesis 44, Genesis 45:1-15, and then come on back.  I’ll share what I am thinking – would love to hear what you are thinking too!

Of all the wonderful things God does, restoration is one of my favorites! Can you imagine the moment, the joy of the reunion between Joseph and his brothers?

“Come closer to me,” Joseph said to his brothers. They came closer. “I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. But don’t feel badly, don’t blame yourselves for selling me. God was behind it. God sent me here ahead of you to save lives. There has been a famine in the land now for two years; the famine will continue for five more years—neither plowing nor harvesting. God sent me on ahead to pave the way and make sure there was a remnant in the land, to save your lives in an amazing act of deliverance. So you see, it wasn’t you who sent me here but God” (Genesis 45:4-8 MSG).

It is remarkable that Joseph was able to come to a place where he praised God for working through his trials rather than blaming his brothers for causing them.  God really does cause all things to work together for good (Romans 8:28)!