Quote for the Day
“Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?”
Today's Prayer
This week pray that God will open your eyes to His passion and His will. Pray for those on the road that they will see God and how He is full of power as well as mercy.
Job chapter 11
Job chapter 11 (NIV)1 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:2 “Are all these words to go unanswered?Is this talker to be vindicated?3 Will your idle talk reduce men to silence?Will no one rebuke you when you mock?4 You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawlessand I am pure in your sight.’5 Oh, how I wish that God would speak,that he would open his lips against you6 and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,for true wisdom has two sides.Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.7 “Can you fathom the mysteries of God?Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?8 They are higher than the heavens-what can you do?They are deeper than the depths of the grave -what can you know?9 Their measure is longer than the earthand wider than the sea.10 “If he comes along and confines you in prisonand convenes a court, who can oppose him?11 Surely he recognizes deceitful men;and when he sees evil, does he not take note?12 But a witless man can no more become wisethan a wild donkey’s colt can be born a man.13 “Yet if you devote your heart to himand stretch out your hands to him,14 if you put away the sin that is in your handand allow no evil to dwell in your tent,15 then you will lift up your face without shame;you will stand firm and without fear.16 You will surely forget your trouble,recalling it only as waters gone by.17 Life will be brighter than noonday,and darkness will become like morning.18 You will be secure, because there is hope;you will look about you and take your rest in safety.19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,and many will court your favor.20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail,and escape will elude them;their hope will become a dying gasp.”
Message
Fresh off of a cry to God and friends for a reason for this suffering, Job must now listen to the pontifications of his friend Zophar the Naamathite. In verse 5, he says to Job, “Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that he would open his lips against you…” Wow. What a friend indeed! Zophar continues with a series of charges and admonishments against Job. Most of what Zophar says is accurate of God and His Word, but again, as with Job’s other friends, NOT in context for Job’s situation.Reading the book of Job at this point either becomes a chore, a challenge, or a long and deep journey into the mind of God. What appears to be repetition and prose hides God’s truth for all our life. We are shown God’s principles and how to bring God’s light to others. As we wade through verse after verse of analogy we begin to see the realities of God and our very basic understanding of Him. Our ability to see God and His will not only in our own life but that of others is hidden between the cries of Job and the feeble attempts of encouragement from his friends.God wants us to focus on Him (NOT others) so we can see the needs of others and comfort and encourage them in their lives. If we focus on ourselves or the “wrongs” of others, we will always see God as the Judge. When we begin to focus on God the Almighty we begin to see the world as He does, and we then can be the encouragement and comfort those around us need. This week examine how you see God.