280th Week, Job Chapters 5-9 (Click on Title for Video Intro)

 

Click on Title for Video Introduction

Monday, Job Chapter 5

Job 5

Verse 17

Tanya Ruden

Verse 17:  “Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.”

THOUGHT

So this verse seems really out of place in today’s reading. I am not sure how many of you can remember from Mom’s devotion last week, but Chapter 4 was mostly Job’s “good friends” talking with him about his “bad luck”.  Then chapter 5 continues with much of the same.  However, his friend does make this statement among all of his “encouraging” words, and it is about the only truthful thing he has said. 

Of course, this doesn’t really apply to Job’s situation, but I do think it applies to our lives.  It is a reminder that we do need boundaries in life to make us better people. I know those of you who have children understand the “joys” of summer vacation, but it definitely becomes time for school to start and summer to end.  My kids have been in more ‘trouble’ the past 2 weeks than all summer. I think their time of little to no structure and being able to ‘rule the roost’ has become too long. They have had a great summer, being able to do fun things almost daily with their babysitter and their dad.  They haven’t had too much “structure” — that’s what summer’s for right? And so far, this has been a great summer, until the last few days.  They have begun to figure out they can make decisions about their day, and they think they can ‘be in-charge’. It is a reminder to me as a parent that we do need discipline and structure or we become controlling and demanding.  

We aren’t that different from kids. We all need boundaries to live within, and I am not sure my kids look at my discipline and structure as a “blessing” as stated in verse 17.  I believe in my heart that it is, because I can see firsthand what happens without it. I don’t want my kids to be like the bossy, unfriendly people they have become (and I don’t think they want that either).

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, some days it is so hard to live within the rules. So many times we don’t understand the rules, and we think now that we are adults we should be able to set our own rules and make good decisions.  However, You created the 10 commandments for us to live by, and we become better behaved ‘children’ of Yours by living by those commandments.  I do understand that not every bad thing that happens to me is some kind of discipline or “wrath” from You. You love me and want nothing bad to happen to me ever, but sometimes things do.  We need to glorify You and not question the why. Help us understand that often the ‘discipline’ You speak of in the Bible is really just a consequence of a poor decision we made, not some kind of punishment You have placed on us. Help us to be great ‘disciplinarians’ to the children in our lives.  AMEN

Tuesday, Job Chapter 6

Job 6

Verse 15-16

Tanya Ruden

Verses 15-16:  But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow when darkened by thawing ice and swollen with melting snow.

THOUGHT

How true is this statement in this verse?  People on earth let us down. In Job’s situation he was hoping his friends would come over and cheer him up. Instead they totally let him down.  They were blaming him for what had happened to him, lecturing him, and I am sure some of his friends stopped coming over completely. 

I know I have been let down by my friends a time or two.  Sometimes circumstances outside of our control cause us to fail to fulfill promises to friends, and that still causes hurt and disappointment. I also know I have let friends down by not being there when they needed me or expected me. We are sinners.  We are not perfect, and we still have priorities we have to address in our own lives.  

I pray that in all these instances we are able to exercise forgiveness to keep our friendships alive. The GOOD NEWS is that God is 100% dependable.  He is always there.  He NEVER breaks a promise to us.  He ALWAYS shows up to an event and NEVER stops listening to us. He isn’t a passive friend who just listens and says, “That’s 0K”.   He does show us tough love when we need it, and He does hold us accountable at times when we have to suffer through the consequences of our actions.  Isn’t that the best kind of friend? 

Praise God we have Him as an example of a best friend to witness and attempt to live up to, knowing we can do the best we can, asking forgiveness when we fall short and issuing forgiveness to friends when they are “undependable”.

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, Forgive us. Forgive us for the times we are undependable to our friends. So often we say the wrong thing or don’t do the right thing in situations involving our friends and family. I pray You forgive us for those times.  Father, our intentions are always good but sometimes fall short. May we attempt to live the example You set for us of the ultimate friend. May we always seek and find good friends.  Steer us away from those friends that are not “healthy” for our lives. Thank You for “best” friends in our lives. AMEN

Wednesday, Job Chapter 7

Job 7

Verses 19-20

Tanya Ruden

Verses 19-20 from “The Message” Bible:  Even suppose I’d sinned—how would that hurt you?  You’re responsible for every human being.  Don’t you have better things to do than pick on me?  Why make a federal case out of me?  Why don’t you just forgive my sins and start me off with a clean slate?

THOUGHT

I was really struggling with what to talk about in this chapter. My heart aches for Job. I will admit, I was very depressed at the start of this week.  This house disaster, our home not selling, really had me down.  In the grand scheme of life, it isn’t that big of deal, but in my small world, it was a devastating disappointment.  Today, a week later and 3 more chapters into Job, I am able to smile and don’t seem so stressed out.  The world isn’t such a terrible place.  I have millions of things to be thankful for. I am glad so many people reminded me of them throughout the week because repeatedly hearing them helped me to focus on them.

Now back to Job — I liked this version of the Bible because it reminded me of two things.  

1. We are all important to God. Job asks, “Don’t You have better things to do than pick on me?”  I think so often we think, ‘God, there are so many of us, why are You concerned with me or how can You hear me among the millions?’  But God does hear us, loves us, remembers us and “picks on us”. We are all His special children, and He really doesn’t have better things to do because we are all important to Him. 

2. I like the reference to the “clean slate”. It was a reminder to me of Jesus’ death on the cross and how each day I start with a clean slate.  It is a glorious feeling. I don’t think in the Old Testament they had the joy of that feeling like we do. What a happy thought!

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, thank You for my clean slate to start each day. I give You praise for Your death on the cross. Forgive me daily as I dirty the slate You graciously give me.  Thank You for making me feel special every day. Thank You for “hope” each and every day.  When I am down, You pick me up.  Without You I am not sure how I would smile some days. Help us to be “heart warmers” for people like Job in our lives. AMEN

Thursday, Job Chapter 8

Job 8

Verses 14-15

Tanya Ruden 

Verses 14-15:  What he trusts in is fragile, what he relies on is a spider’s web.  He leans on his web, but it gives way, he clings to it, but it does not hold.

THOUGHT

Not sure what to make of it, but I read the Outreach Outdoors devotional that is done daily for the website by one of Matt’s great friends. He quoted the words to the country song Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw. He stated in his devotional,

“We don’t know when our time is up, in a flash our lives can be over so I am keenly aware that every day I live, I’m one day closer to dying. I don’t want to wait for a doctor to tell me some bad news before I become a better husband, a friend, a friend would like to have or read the Good Book, to love deeper and speak sweeter. I realize that right now...I have a chance to live as if I were dying and make the changes that make a difference...while there is still time.“

Then one of my LOA (Leave of Absence) Employees that I work with bi-weekly on their benefits, is dying of cancer and will never make it back to work. She told me today on the phone that she felt so lucky that she has had a year to tell everyone in her life how much they mean to her and to say goodbye. She told me to get at it, that I won’t regret it.  

So by 9:30AM I was instructed directly and indirectly about my days being numbered. So I want to tell all of you today how very much I love each of you. All of you are a huge part of my life. I will cherish you forever.

Verses 14-15 state,

   “What he trusts in is fragile, what he relies on is a spider’s web.

   He leans on his web, but it gives way, he clings to it, but it does not hold.”

I thought these verses go a little bit with what I experienced this morning. It made me stop and think about what I rely on. Where do we find our security? Is it money, possessions, knowledge, and relationships? All of these will fail or be gone one day. Only God can give lasting security. If you have a secure foundation with God, feelings of insecurity will not undermine you. Start today by placing your security in God Almighty.  Job did.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, thank You for the reminders in our lives to give thanks and love to the people around us. Thank You for the security that we find in You. What a relief that You are always there holding us up when we trip.  AMEN

Friday, Job Chapter 9

Job 9

Verse 33-34

Jane Jones

Verse 33-34: “If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both, someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.”  

THOUGHT

Jeanie and Rory listened to their Sunday morning teaching on the computer last night because they went camping this weekend. The message was from the book of Revelation and a question asked during the teaching was, “What would you do if you had 60 days left to live?”

HR just called me. An employee from VGM just left for Iowa City because her husband was diagnosed with throat cancer June 10, and Iowa City Hospitals told her to come immediately because he has slipped into a coma. She wasn’t with him because she was fearful of losing her job and needed the money. She didn’t have any PTO time left. She had used it all up in July. What if he doesn’t come out of the coma so she can tell him one more time how very much she loved him. 

It seems like the Lord is making me aware of how very precious life is and to value every moment. I am going to do that today. I am going to fix my husband his favorite supper...spaghetti and garlic bread. Could you all come over for supper? The grandkids are coming tomorrow night. YEAH!!

Verse 33-34

“If only there were someone to arbitrate between us,

    to lay his hand upon us both,

someone to remove God’s rod from me,

    so that his terror would frighten me no more.”

Job is growing more and more impatient toward God, but he has not rejected or cursed God.  I can’t help but think how different the story of Job might have been if Job had known of Jesus. We are so fortunate to have the Savior as our go between. We go to the Lord through our relationship with Jesus. He is our rock and our salvation. He is the one that we need to let into our hearts.

There are times in our lives that after we have exhausted our family, our friends, our clergy, we just need Jesus. Just give me Jesus. He understands everything. Let us not take our knowledge and the privilege of knowing Jesus for granted. Job didn’t know Him. We do.

PRAYER

Father God, we come to You through Your son Jesus Christ, and thank You again for our salvation through Jesus’ shed blood. We are saved because of the cross. The whole world trembled, and the veil was torn down that day. Thank You.  Life’s challenges can be huge, but with Jesus all things are possible.  AMEN