Friday, September 17, 2021

today's meditation (Job 42) Humbly Trusting

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Job 42:1-17) Then Job answered the Lord and said,

“I know that You can do all things,
     And that no plan is impossible for You.
3   ‘Who is this who conceals advice without knowledge?’
     Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,
     Things too wonderful for me, which I do not know.
4   ‘Please listen, and I will speak;
     I will ask You, and You instruct me.’
5   I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear;
     But now my eye sees You;
6   Therefore I retract,
     And I repent, sitting on dust and ashes.”

7  It came about after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is trustworthy, as My servant Job has. 8 Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so as not to do with you as your foolishness deserves, because you have not spoken of Me what is trustworthy, as My servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job.

10 The Lord also restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased double all that Job had. 11 Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all who had known him before came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house; and they sympathized with him and comforted him for all the adversities that the Lord had brought on him. And each one gave him a piece of money, and each a ring of gold. 12 The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys. 13 He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 He named the first Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. 15 In all the land no women were found as beautiful as Job’s daughters; and their father gave them inheritances among their brothers. 16 After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and his grandsons, four generations. 17 And Job died, an old man and full of days.


TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
Job humbled himself before the Lord and repented, but God only blessed Job after he obeyed what God had asked him to do.  Then God gave Job double what he had before, including the children!  Having ten children before, he got ten more - which was still double - because he would still see the ten who passed away later, in heaven.  
 Today's meditation and "takeaway" is that, no matter how long we've been a believer, we will still struggle.  And no matter what we are going through, we should remain humble before God, continue to seek God's instruction, repent when needed, and steadfastly obey the Lord.  How God chooses to test us and bless us - is up to God.  Therefore it is to our benefit to trust Him and His will for us - always!

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