Quote for the Day
“…I have no rest…”
Today's Prayer
This week pray that those on the road will see God in the light of eternity. Pray that as the pressures of today make life unbearable, that we will see God and His eternal plan for us. Pray that those at home will have the comfort and knowledge that God has protected their loved ones today as He does every day.
Job 3:1-26
Job 3:1-26 (NIV)1 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. 2 He said:3 “May the day of my birth perish,and the night it was said, ‘A boy is born!’4 That day-may it turn to darkness;may God above not care about it;may no light shine upon it.5 May darkness and deep shadow claim it once more;may a cloud settle over it;may blackness overwhelm its light.6 That night-may thick darkness seize it;may it not be included among the days of the yearnor be entered in any of the months.7 May that night be barren;may no shout of joy be heard in it.8 May those who curse days curse that day,those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.9 May its morning stars become dark;may it wait for daylight in vainand not see the first rays of dawn,10 for it did not shut the doors of the womb on meto hide trouble from my eyes.11 “Why did I not perish at birth,and die as I came from the womb?12 Why were there knees to receive meand breasts that I might be nursed?13 For now I would be lying down in peace;I would be asleep and at rest14 with kings and counselors of the earth,who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,15 with rulers who had gold,who filled their houses with silver.16 Or why was I not hidden in the ground like a stillborn child,like an infant who never saw the light of day?17 There the wicked cease from turmoil,and there the weary are at rest.18 Captives also enjoy their ease;they no longer hear the slave driver’s shout.19 The small and the great are there,and the slave is freed from his master.20 “Why is light given to those in misery,and life to the bitter of soul,21 to those who long for death that does not come,who search for it more than for hidden treasure,22 who are filled with gladnessand rejoice when they reach the grave?23 Why is life given to a manwhose way is hidden,whom God has hedged in?24 For sighing comes to me instead of food;my groans pour out like water.25 What I feared has come upon me;what I dreaded has happened to me.26 I have no peace, no quietness;I have no rest, but only turmoil.”
Message
From seven days of silence to a cry to God Almighty. Today we see Job move to the next stage of his personal struggle. We have seen him give glory to God and accept that God alone is in control of both the good and the harm inflicted in his life. Now after much thought and reflection, and MUCH pain and misery, Job is tired. He is weary from the suffering and pain, frustrated not seeing God’s answer or reason in the situation. In a word, Job has now become self-focused not God-focused, bringing him to the point of frustration (verse 26, “I have no peace, no quietness;…no rest…”). The reason for Job’s turmoil is given in verse 23, “Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden…?”This captures the essence of what all life is about. Man cannot live without the knowledge of what his life is about, both on a day to day basis and as a whole. Job has not abandoned God; he is simply at a point where he does not understand what God is doing in his life, and because of that feels uneasy and without peace. Job feels as though God’s will is hidden. He feels this in a BIG way. So big that he wishes he had not been born. How do we react when the tough times come? Do we draw close to God or push away? Job was feeling alone and without God and proclaims it loud and clear. He does not curse God or blame God; he merely wants to know what is happening. He is letting God know it hurts so much he can hardly bear the pain. What is the pain Job is feeling? It is not the loss of his wealth or family, but the loss of his knowledge of his purpose in life! Job feels his relationship with God has diminished. As we have seen, Job and God have quite the relationship, and now Job is feeling uncertain because he cannot see the clear plan of God. Job simply wants to dialog with God about where they (Job and God) are headed. Have you talked with God today about your circumstances? Does God know how you feel today? Do you know how He feels about you, or are you in the “way is hidden” stage of life? Ask God today what He has planned for you. It will be Job’s dialog that will help him move from self-focused to God-focused; it may just take a while though, for Job and for us, so let’s keep the dialog going.