285th Week, Job Chapter 25-29 (Click on Title for Video Introduction)

 Click on Title for Video Intro

Monday Job Chapter 25

Job 25

Verse 5

Tanya Ruden

Verse 5:  God is more glorious than the moon; he shines brighter than the stars.

THOUGHT

As Heather and I were looking at the chapters in Job, I was thinking.  We have got to be getting close to the end of the book.  Maybe Heather and I can finish it, but for those of you who are better versed in the Bible than me, know that Job is long.  We will still have a couple of weeks after this week before we finish it.

So today let’s focus on something I like to think of as more than my brain can comprehend. Do we really understand how bright the moon and stars are?  They are really far away, and we can still see them, same with the sun. Now I realize that was a very “technical” statement, but even if I threw in how many miles away and how bright it was and how fast the light traveled, we still wouldn’t understand what an awesome creation a star or moon is. It is so beyond our grasp. It shows how “Glorious” God is. He is more glorious than these stars that we can’t comprehend.  We will never be able to comprehend how amazing our God is. 

To keep it simple, we should just know that He is amazing and respect Him for that “awesomeness”.

PRAYER

Lord, We praise You for Your awesomeness. It is beyond comprehension how marvelous You are. You are all-knowing, all-powerful, everlasting.  These terms we can define, but can compare no other earthly example to them. May our belief in You and Your awesomeness remind us that You are able to tackle anything.  We pray that our biggest issue is but a grain of sand compared to the powers You have. Thank You!!!  We believe in something so amazing!!!  AMEN

Tuesday, Job Chapter 26

Job 26

Heather Proehl

Verses 2-4

Verses 2-4: “How you have helped the powerless!  How you have saved the arm that is feeble!  What advice you have offered to one without wisdom!  And what great insight you have displayed!”

THOUGHT 

I can’t believe the sarcasm Job uses in these verses. I don’t recall too many times in the Bible where sarcasm is used. I guess that goes to show how human Job was and what a natural human response to Bildad from the previous chapter. We see Bildad give these theological explanations in the prior chapter. He’s got the book-smart answer for Job. However, Job’s not receptive to it. Who would be?

We’ve all learned in life that when dealing with people, it’s better to love and understand people than to come back with a book-smart response to them. Job just needs to vent and have people listen and understand and love him. No book-smart theological answer is going to help him.

I just think back to the last year and the Ruden’s tough year. I felt so bad for Tanya. I know she would often ask, why is this happening? However, the response she didn’t want was some cookie cutter theological answer for things. What she wanted was for people to listen and love her and understand the situation. We may all be “know it all” with the right answers, but sometimes the best thing to do is to keep our mouths shut and just listen.

PRAYER

Father God, we thank You for wisdom. However, sometimes this wisdom is best kept to ourselves. Lord, help us to be understanding and good listeners for those we love. Sometimes the best way to love someone is to keep your mouth shut and listen. Lord, help us with that! Some of us (and you know who we are) love to talk.  Help us to be good listeners and be understanding. AMEN

Wednesday, Job Chapter 27

Job 27

Verse 6

Heather Proehl 

Verse 6:  “I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.”

THOUGHT

Well, we see Job continue his discourse in this chapter and the next. I have to confess, I’m going to take a lesson from my application Bible, as I struggled with this chapter. In the verse above, we see that in the midst of all the accusations, Job was able to declare that his conscience was clear and that he maintained his righteousness.  

Only God’s forgiveness and the determination to live rightly before God can bring a clear conscience. Like Job, we can’t claim sinless lives, but we can claim forgiven lives. When we confess our sins to God, he forgives us.  Then we can live with clear consciences.

1 John 1:9 writes, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

PRAYER

Lord, Thank You for being faithful to us. We confess that we have sinned and make mistakes daily. Lord, we pray for Your forgiveness. We know that if we come to You humbled and broken and asking for forgiveness, You will answer that request and clear our conscience. In Your eyes, You have already forgiven us. Thank You! AMEN

Thursday, Job Chapter 28

Job 28

Verse 2

Tanya Ruden

Verse 12:  But where can wisdom be found?

            Where does understanding dwell?

Verse 28:  And he said to man, ‘The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,

             and to shun evil is understanding.’ 

THOUGHT

I have to say I loved this part of the chapter.  Money can buy lots of things, but you always hear money cannot buy happiness.  True? It can buy you things that make you happy, but not true in your heart of happiness. Another thing money can’t buy is wisdom or understanding.

You can surround yourself with really smart IQ people, or people you consider very wise.  You may use $$ to pay these people to help you, but they can’t get in your brain and make you become wise. Hanging with them can help you to learn more and grow in wisdom, but wisdom can only be found inside of you, kind of like happiness?  I believe wisdom comes a lot from our life experiences. We learn from what we have done, and that is how I define wisdom. Therefore, I believe the older you are, the wiser you are since you have experienced more of life. 

I like how Job reminds us that wisdom is a trait we have to choose to work on and possess.  You can choose to make the same mistakes and not learn from your experiences, or you can choose to take your life happenings and impart wisdom on others so they will not make the same mistakes.

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, Thank You for gifts that we can’t buy with money.  I think that is what differentiates Christians from the rest of the world.  We have traits in our hearts that others think they can get with money. Help us to always show these traits to the world.  Father, they can see them and come to know You by wanting what we have that they don’t. May we desire wisdom.  May we desire to be in a constant state of learning and accepting what we learn. May we never come across as a “know-it-all”, but as a person genuinely caring and wanting to share information to help others. May we always “fear” You and “shun evil” through what we have learned and understand from the Bible. AMEN

Friday, Job Chapter 29

Job 29 

Verse 2

Tanya Ruden

Verse 2:  “How I long for the months gone by.”

THOUGHT

Have you ever said this phrase? I know I have said it before. Why is it we are always living our lives outside the moment? It seems like we are always saying, “I can’t wait until Tony can walk.” (I don’t think I ever said that. It is merely an example) or “I can’t wait for a certain date/time.” Or like the verse — we long for times we have already enjoyed. 

Now, I think it is OK to reminisce about prior times, but I don’t think we should long for them with such heartfelt longing we are miserable in the time we are in. Each day is a blessing from God for us to enjoy. We need to live each day to the fullest. It is great to have something to look forward to or to remember fun times, but just don’t allow it to consume your life to the point you can’t enjoy and live in the present! 

You have wonderful opportunities to create memories each and every day!

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, thank You for TODAY! Thank You that I was able to enjoy this day to its fullest. Thank You for the memories.  Without them, our hearts would long for people and events we are no longer able to enjoy.  Thank You for the ability to dream and envision the future. Help us to live each day in the present.  May we smile and spread Your joy on earth, not making excuses or longing for different times, but rising each day with what we have and living Your dream for us.  AMEN