In our worship gatherings on Sunday, we completed the Book of Job. If you missed any of our #WhyMe sermon series in Job and would like to catch up, feel free to peruse sermons on our YouTube playlist or check out this terrific video overview of the book.
On Sunday, we observed God’s last recorded words to Job. While the Creator’s majesty, power, and authority moved Job to humility and repentance, that wasn’t all God desired. God wanted Job’s appropriate respect and reverence, but He also desired reconciliation. This is what we see in Job’s final response to this spectacular divine encounter:
Job 42:4-6 NLT “You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
By the end of his encounter with God, Job’s attitude changes to the hope of being restored to being on good relational terms with God.
Do you see any of your own life, reflected in Job’s story? Take a moment, and think back over this quarantine season: is there anything you’ve thought, said, or done you should repent of? Take some time to confess, resolve, and lean in to our Maker’s merciful arms. God’s arms and hands are wide open!
One more element we notice at the end of Job’s story is God bringing justice:
Job 42:7-8 NLT “After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: ‘I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has. So take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf…’”
God condemns Job’s “friends” for incriminating him, pointing out how their accusations were not correct, appropriate, or helpful. Being vindicated, it might have been natural or easy for Job to turn and condemn his friends too. However, by now, Job’s learned revenge or bitterness will not help. Instead, Job prays on behalf of their forgiveness. Again, we see reconciliation at work. Wow!
Consider your own life again this season. Who has hurt you during this quarantine? Have you abandoned them or been seeking revenge or harboring bitterness? Instead, how can you pray on their behalf (Matthew 5:44)? How can you work toward reconciliation?
Pray for courage from our Creator and go for it!
*If you’d like to grow further and deeper with the Lord this week, here’s a suggested Bible reading plan you could use. Use a dynamic, easy-to-read printed Bible, or a even an audio bible while you exercise or commute!
- Monday, June 1 Job 40:6-14
- Tuesday, June 2 Job 40:15-24
- Wednesday, June 3 Job 41:1-34
- Thursday, June 4 Job 42:1-9
- Friday, June 5 Job 42:10-17
Learning alongside you,
Kerry Kaufman
