Deeper with God

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. - Job 13:15

The life of Job in the Bible was a testimony of God's providence, chastening, and steadfast love in the life of a man who feared Him, but was tested beyond measure. What God allowed Job to go through, seems out of line with His character- as a loving, holy, kind God who exercises holiness and righteousness. I don't understand why God works the way He does. The verse stated above is exactly that kind of perplexity that fills my mind with wonder and amazement. Though He slay me... yet will I trust Him, hope in Him, love Him.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 says: "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.

There seems to be a depth that God allows His servants to suffer, that they continue to trust Him. To the unbelieving eye, this sort of relationship almost seems demented. Who would treat someone that way? In a sense, it seems as though God purposefully slays His servants, knowing that His grace will carry them through and they will be humbled, and cling to God more. God means to be glorified in our lives, for our eternal joy and to allow us to enter a relationship that is fulfilling. There seems to be a maturity that arises through trials that make no sense and cause the most intense suffering- pleading with God asking for His deliverance but He does not seem to deliver. The writer of Psalm 44 speaks of this turmoil:
8In God we have boasted all day long,
And we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah.
9Yet You have rejected us and brought us to dishonor,
And do not go out with our armies.
10You cause us to turn back from the adversary;
And those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves.
11You give us as sheep to be eaten
And have scattered us among the nations.

Here he makes his argument to God. They have been faithful to Him, and loved Him, but why is not God acting on their behalf?

18Our heart has not turned back,
And our steps have not deviated from Your way,
19Yet You have crushed us in a place of jackals
And covered us with the shadow of death.
20If we had forgotten the name of our God
Or extended our hands to a strange god,
21Would not God find this out?
For He knows the secrets of the heart.
22But for Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

At the end of the psalm, the writer places his hope in God's loving kindness and mercy. He knows that God will not be hidden forever and will one day deliver. This sort of faith can only be found in Christ Jesus, given to us by grace from God. The Christian struggles under the sculptors hand. Like Jacob struggled with God in the wilderness, so it seems that He wrestles with the sinner's heart. What love and commitment He has to continue to shower grace that we would know Him in His holiness and righteousness, and seek to flee sin, and hate that evil yet in our hearts. All for His glory- and commitment to His eternal plan to glorify Jesus Christ and make His name known to all nations.
Do not lose heart when you are tested by the fiery trial of your faith. It is not some strange thing, but is working for you an imperishable inheritance. Soli Deo Gloria.

A lesson from Job.

I took my lunch break today by making a visit to 7-11, getting a bite and an energy drink, sat in a car, and read Job 1-2;38-42 (as suggested from a friend who knew what I was dealing with in my heart). I knew a little about this book; however I hadn't read it before today.

After work, I was able to sit down and take a few to read a few chapters of the dialog of Job and his 3 friends. This book is a great book to turn to in the time of confusion, pain or disillusionment. As seen in Job, God gives and He can take away whenever He pleases. Why? We might find out...we might not. However, knowing that whatever God does for us is ultimately bring glory to Himself, is great joy. There's two major things I picked up from this book; One being God's Sovereignty in our suffering, the other being God's purpose in our suffering.

First, God is aware of our past, current and future suffering and is in control of it all! I knew this...but I obviously needed to be reminded. God was there with Job during his suffering, He is the one that Satan gained permission from in order to invade Job's life to bring about pain. Because of this, I can be assured that when I am in pain and suffering, God not only is aware of it, He is in absolute control of it.

Second, God has a purpose my suffering and pain. God challenged Satan to take away Job's possessions and family. Satan thought that Job would curse God's name if he were take it all from Job. God challenged Satan to do all of this because He KNEW how Job would respond. God knew that Job would overcome it all and bring glory to Himself! Isn't that enough!!! Isn't it enough to know that my pain and suffering is being put upon me because in the end it brings glory to God!? Job was tried, tested, and approved. However, Job never knew why he suffered. I don't always know why things happen. Sometimes God makes it evident of the reasoning, but He has no obligation to. But I can trust that God does bring upon pain and suffering so His name will be praised and glory onto Himself. That is enough!

I post this not thinking this will be some new realization, but as a reminder; a reminder that this life isn't ours and it's not about us.

the honor of suffering

"At thirty-two [John G.] Paton accepted the call to missionary service in the New Hebrides in the South Pacific. In March of 1858 he married Mary Ann Robson, and on April 16 they sailed together for the cannibal island of Tanna. In less than a year they had built a home and Mary had given birth to a son. But on March 3, 1859, one year after their marriage, Mary died of the fever, and in three weeks the infant son died. John Paton buried them alone, and wrote, "But for Jesus... I'd have gone mad and died beside that lonely grave."

One of the gifts that Jesus had given him to sustain him in those days were the words his wife spoke before her death. She did not murmur against God in her final sickness, or resent her husband bringing her to the New Hebrides. Rather she spoke these incredible words: 'I do not regret leaving home and friends. If I had it to do over, I would do it with more pleasure, yes, with all my heart.' "

- The Pleasures Of God (by John Piper)

Philippians 1:29

"For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake..."