“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. …... He also shall be my salvation, …….” – Job 13:15-16
I was thinking about how dedicated I am to my
faith – to my Lord or not. What happened was, for whatever reason, I remembered
Job and what he said as he faced his trials.
Basically, it didn’t really matter what misfortune came Job’s way – he
would not forsake the Lord, his God. Job had a vision beyond life on this
planet. He had a lot to be sad about – really to be mad about. He had not done
anything wrong – it all started when God said, “Consider my servant Job.” And
Satan was quick to point out that it is easy to be faithful when you are not
facing adversity – but people are quick to abandon God when things go south.
I just watched a very sad documentary about a
Vietnam veteran who ended up homeless. He, like so many other veterans from so
many other wars bore scars that were not visible to a passer-by. Oh it would
have been so much easier if his wounds were more obvious, if he had lost an leg
or arm – but it was his soul that was wounded – even maimed. I can remember
returning from Vietnam and being shamed by people for my service. Then when I
returned from Desert Storm, I was hailed the conquering hero. Americans love a winner and hate a loser. But
Job had been a winner and then bad things started to happen – things that he
had no control over and were not of his doing. He had every reason to be upset –
to question God – and yet his faith held.
The strength and purity of Job’s faith was something that God knew and
Satan did not. God knew his heart. Jobs deep love for God was independent upon
his present circumstances.
Come to think of it, the same was true of Paul -
“What then
shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who
did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not
with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s
elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died,
and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also
makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than
conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor
life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things
to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” –
Romans 8:31-39
Is it OK with you if you must face “tribulation,
or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword”? Or
does that seem extreme and perhaps inconsistent with your view of what the Christian
life is supposed to be like? Do you think that you would have a tough time holding
on to your faith if you faced those kinds of problems perhaps because of your
faith? Would your love and devotion for God hold – like Job’s did or would
Satan be proven right? Questions I must ask myself. Is your faith dependent
upon the crowds cheering for you on your return from the battle. What if you
were instead cursed and rejected and accused of killing babies and being a drug
addict – would you continue to stand for the Lord? Maybe that you are a hater
and misguided embracing a lie and not the truth. I am certain that we would all
like to think we would or could. Only you know the truth about you – well that
is not completely accurate– God knows too. And still He loves you for the child
of God that you are.
Peter didn’t do so well before Jesus was
crucified – but he was a different man afterward – the difference was the
anointing of the Holy Spirit – just like us. God told Joshua as Joshua faced
the impossible …..
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from
your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to
do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way
prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of
good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with
you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:8-9
Think about it – Pray about it - Believe it –
Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His
Glory Alone
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