Quote for the Day
“God has made my heart faint, the Almighty has terrified me.”
Today's Prayer
This week ask God to show you His face through the darkness of your circumstances. This week pray for those on the road that they will fear God and yet see the glory of His power in the individual circumstances God has placed them.
Job chapter 23
Job chapter 23 (NIV)1 Then Job replied:2 “Even today my complaint is bitter;his hand is heavy in spite of my groaning.3 If only I knew where to find him;if only I could go to his dwelling!4 I would state my case before himand fill my mouth with arguments.5 I would find out what he would answer me,and consider what he would say.6 Would he oppose me with great power?No, he would not press charges against me.7 There an upright man could present his case before him,and I would be delivered forever from my judge.8 “But if I go to the east, he is not there;if I go to the west, I do not find him.9 When he is at work in the north, I do not see him;when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.10 But he knows the way that I take;when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.11 My feet have closely followed his steps;I have kept to his way without turning aside.12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.13 “But he stands alone, and who can oppose him?He does whatever he pleases.14 He carries out his decree against me,and many such plans he still has in store.15 That is why I am terrified before him;when I think of all this, I fear him.16 God has made my heart faint;the Almighty has terrified me.17 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness,by the thick darkness that covers my face.
Message
Once again we are able to see the amazing relationship Job and God have with each other. This is a great place to remember that God finds joy in having the same type of relationship with each of us. After listening to Eliphaz accuse him (Job) of many crimes, distort God’s truth, and generally provide absolutely no help, Job replies. Once again Job delivers not an accusation against God, but a question, “Where are you?” Remember chapter one where Job walked and talked daily with God and was generously blessed by God? Now, through NO fault of his own, as he has continued to do all that God has asked of him, Job feels at a loss for that relationship. His suffering and pain has created a longing for God. He is also very surprised and confused about why he is going through this suffering, so he has a very natural and normal question, “God where are you? I would like you to tell me what is going on.”Through all this he still knows who God is and knows how to react to God. In chapter one it is said of Job that he fears God and shuns evil. Here in chapter 23 we see the same attitude VERY boldly stated in verse 16, “God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me”. While this is an important reflection by Job, what is impressive is that he can keep perspective of where both he and God are with the next verse, “Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.” WOW…Can we allow the true image of God to be revealed in us despite the circumstances? JOB did. Yes, he wanted answers, but he also knew and acknowledged that GOD is to be feared just as He was way back in chapter one when everything was going well. He never doubted God; he only had a few questions for which he desired answers.