Posts with the tag “job”

Daily Devotional from Job 34--Verse 32aTeach thou me what I do not see…In a sermon on Job 34, Charles Spurgeon talked of believers excusing sin as “constitutional” or a part of one’s “temperament” and thus unavoidable. “It’s just the way I am. I can’t help it”.  The enemy would have us believe this about besetting sins and vulnerabilities which we may indulge in ourselves or expect others to overl...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 33-Verses 29-30 Behold, God does all these things, twice, three times, with a man, to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be lighted with the light of life.The three times with a man refers to God speaking to man through visions (Job 33:14),through afflictions (Job 33:15-17), and through messengers (Job 33:23).Sometimes God’s Words of wisdom are hard to see, har...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 31--Verses 5-6If I have walked with falsehood and my foot has hastened to deceit; (Let me be weighed in a just balance, and let God know my integrity!)Job knows that God is a just God.And he is willing to accept the penalty for any discretion. But in his heart, he thinks he’s innocent; he is a good man. He is even making a list of all of the things he could’ve done wrong ...  Read More

Verse 17The night racks my bones, and the pain that gnaws me takes no rest. When you are in the depths of pain, it feels like it will never end. But remember… all earthly suffering is only temporary. Job’s agony, though overwhelming at the time, was over long ago. Compared to the vastness of eternity, our current trials are only "light and momentary." Take heart, dear friend. This pain is not the ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 29--Verse 2"Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me.”Job is remembering the good old days. While the good old days may be fun to remember, Job was missing one thing. He said, “In the days when God watched over me.” God was still watching over Job; He always had been and would continue to watch over Job all the days of his life. Yet...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 28--Verse 28“And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”King Solomon was known for his wisdom. When God offered to give him anything he wanted, he chose understanding and a discerning heart over riches and long life. Because of this good choice, God gave him a wise and discerning heart, plus what he did...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 27--Verse 3-5“As long as my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,  my lips will not speak falsehood, and my tongue will not utter deceit. Far be it from me to say that you are right; till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.”I love Job. He has had such a hard lot, yet he refuses to curse God and lie to his friends, saying that all the things...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 26--Verse 13“By his breath the heavens gained their beauty; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.”This verse reminds me of Genesis 1-3. God spoke creation into existence. He formed humans out of the dust and breathed life into us. The serpent deceived us and was cursed, with God promising that one day the serpent would be killed by the seed of the woman. It seems as if Jo...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 25--Verses 5-6“Behold, even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure in his [God’s] eyes; how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!”This was spoken by Bildad. Boy, did he have it wrong. Did he not know? Man was created in the IMAGE of GOD. How could he then call man a maggot? David pondered the greatness of God compared to man when h...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 24--Verse 13, 24a“There are those who rebel against the light, who are not acquainted with its ways, and do not stay in its paths… they are exalted a little while, then are gone; they are brought low and gathered up as all others…”To Job and to us, it appears that the ungodly prosper without consequence. They are murderers, thieves, and adulterers without penalty. They do...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 23--Verse 12“I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.”Have you ever been on a fast and dreamily fantasized about what you would have for your next meal? Well, that should remind us of what our soul does every time we fast from the Word of God. We can go days without soul food, or simply feed our minds with spiritual junk food, but there’s a de...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 22--“If you return to the Almighty you will be built up; if you remove injustice far from your tents, if you lay gold in the dust, and gold of Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed, for then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.”Job‘s friends are still convinced that he has sinned and is suffering as a result.They are encouraging him ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 21--Verse 7“Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?”That sums up this whole chapter: ‘Why do the wicked prosper, while I, a righteous person, am slammed into the ground?’ When we are faced with calamities that seem unfair or undeserved, a sure way to drive ourselves mad is to focus on ‘Why’.We don’t always get to know the reason. Sometimes there’s...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 20--In Zophar’s second response to Job, we again see his very linear mindset that good people will have good lives, and wicked people will suffer. And when Zophar encountered a circumstance that could suggest otherwise–like Job’s suffering without a clear cause–he clung to the belief that only wicked people suffer. It’s certainly human nature to think that way, and even t...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 19--Verse 21“Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me!”Have you ever wanted to help a grieving friend but didn’t know what to say?Sometimes not knowing what to say—or thinking we know the answers–isn’t what our loved ones need. Job’s friends wanted to help, but their “help” ended up being wrong and didn’t comfort Job.Trying ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 18--Verses 1-4“Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: ‘How long will you hunt for words? Consider, and then we will speak. Why are we counted as cattle? Why are we stupid in your sight? You who tear yourself in your anger, shall the earth be forsaken for you, or the rock be removed out of its place?’”Job is a broken and burdened man. Bilhab is trying to convince Job t...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 17--Job is in despair, hopes dashed, finding no comfort from his friends, longing for death and the grave. Our need for God is made obvious by trials and troubles. We can “take fresh courage to persevere from the example of suffering Job. The image is from a warrior acquiring new courage in action” (Charles Spurgeon).In Isaiah 40:29-32, we see that the Lord gives power to...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 16--Verse 4“I also could speak as you do, if you were in my place;I could join words together against you and shake my head at you.”It’s easy for any of us to judge someone who is going through a hard time. It’s easy to try to problem-solve and think we know why those hardships are happening. Sometimes we need to turn off our problem-solving and just lend an ear. Job’s fr...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 15--Verse 11“Are the comforts of God too small for you, or the word that deals gently with you?”In this chapter, we see Eliphaz trying to confront Job. Ironically, he insists that he is speaking gently while being rather ungentle. Eliphaz thought he was helping Job, but instead of relieving his suffering, he deepened it.One of the dangers for religious people is becoming ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 14--Verse 1“Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble.”In response to his friend’s accusations, Job enlightens them to the reality that life is short–and it’s not easy. In fact, Jesus promised us we would face trouble. In John 16:33 (NIV), it says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”Life will not be easy. J...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 13--Verse 24 (CSB)Why do you hide your face and consider me your enemy? Have you ever walked through a considerable difficulty and felt that God was far away? Maybe you feel as if God has turned his back on you? That maybe he considers you as his enemy instead of loving you like he’s supposed to? It is difficult in the moment to see beyond our suffering. In this passage, ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 12--Verse 13“With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding.”In his conversations with his “unhelpful” friends, Job wasn’t defiant; he was confident in his belief and his limited knowledge of God. He trusted God beyond his circumstances. When my problems want to overwhelm me, I look at Job. He just kept believing and trusting in the God he knew, and that ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 11--Verse 6b“Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.”Zophar did not beat around the bush. Eliphaz and Bildad (the first two friends) passively implied that Job had done something to deserve the suffering he was going through. Zophar, on the other hand, said in effect, “God is being merciful to you! You deserve so much worse, you wicked man!” We cou...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 10--Verse 2“I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me; let me know why you contend against me.’”Job wants to know why bad things are happening to him, in spite of his lifestyle of righteousness. And he wants it to stop. His friends believe he must have sinned but has forgotten. Thus, this judgment has come upon him, and he deserves it.We know that in life, bad things happen t...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 9-- Verses 20 & 33“Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse…There is no arbiter between us, that might lay his hand upon us both.”If, like Job, we regard ourselves as sinless and try to claim it before God, this only shows our self-righteousness. We would be sinning in saying so. Job cries out for an arbite...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 8--Verse 1-2“Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: ‘How long will you say these things, and the words of your mouth be a great wind?’”Bildad to the rescue! At least, that’s what he thought as he spoke to Job. However, his words fall short of comfort; instead, they imply that Job was not as faithful to the Lord as everyone assumed. Bildad understood suffering to be a ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 7--Verse 1“Has not man a hard service on earth, and are not his days like the days of a hired hand?” – JobSometimes, this is how life feels. Like we’re just running in a hamster wheel, working so hard but not getting anywhere. We feel worn down, run over, washed up. We start to think, “What’s the point?” “Why is it so hard?”Well friend, many have gone before and felt the ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 6--Verse 25 (NKJV)“How forceful are right words! But what does your arguing prove?”Do you know it’s possible to be in the right and dead wrong at the same time? You can use all the right words and still be off the mark. Here, Job acknowledges that what his friends are saying sounds good until you ask, ‘what’s the point?’ I think they had probably lost track.Sometimes we g...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 5--Verse 8“However, if I were you, I would appeal to God and would present my case to him.”Job was suffering through an incredible amount of grief, and this was a piece of advice given to him by his friend Eliphaz. On the surface, it sounds good and wise, because we SHOULD appeal to God. HOWEVER, we no longer need to present our case to him because Jesus is advocating on ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 4--Verses 3-5“Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands. Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees. But now it has come to you, and you are impatient; it touches you, and you are dismayed.”From his strength, Job has ministered to many, encouraging and helping the weak get stronger. Now that he is...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 3--Verse 1“After this, Job began to speak and cursed the day he was born…”Job 3 is a chapter full of sadness and sorrow. Job is expressing his emotions after he was hit with trauma after trauma. When we are walking through difficult situations, and our emotions are strong, it is okay to just sit in them. It’s okay to sit in the sorrow and name it and express it.Grief is r...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 1--Verse 20“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshipped.”What is your response when hardship comes your way?Job could have reacted in a ton of different ways, but he chose to humble himself and worship God, blessing His name. This doesn’t mean Job didn’t mourn; in fact, tearing his clothes and shaving his head would have been...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 42--Verse 12And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. Many people tend to read Job 42 as a happy ending. But more than a happy ending, Job 42 is a new beginning! Quite likely, Job had more days to live after this mysterious book, than he ever did before. So, the next time you go through a difficult season, just remember that your suffering isn’t...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 38--Verse 4Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.Sometimes it’s easier to trust in our own understanding or the understanding of others than it is to trust God. Here God is stating that He has a higher perspective than we do. He created the earth and He continues to sustain it. Job and his friends were trying to make th...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 36—Verses 11-12If they listen and serve him, they complete their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasantness. But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword and die without knowledge.Elihu is making big claims here. In a way, his logic suggests that those who were martyred for Christ died because they were outside of God’s will. That would be silly to think.Y...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 32--Verses 19-20 (RSV)Behold, my heart is like wine that has no vent;    like new wineskins, it is ready to burst. I must speak, that I may find relief;    I must open my lips and answer.Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and felt like this? Like you have to say something or you will burst open? Like a volcano about to erupt? Sometimes what we feel we need ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 28--Verse 28And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’King Solomon was known for his wisdom. When God offered to give him anything he wanted, he chose understanding and a discerning heart over riches and long life. Because of this good choice, God gave him a wise and discerning heart, plus what he didn’...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 25—Verses 5-6Behold, even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure in his [God’s] eyes; how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!This was spoken by Bildad. Boy, did he have it wrong. Did he not know? Man was created in the IMAGE of GOD. How could he then call man a maggot? David pondered the greatness of God compared to man when he a...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 23--Verse 12I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.Have you ever been on a fast and dreamily fantasized about what you would have for your next meal? Well, that should remind us of what our soul does every time we fast from the Word of God. We can go days without soul food, or simply feed our minds with spiritual junk food, but there’s a deep...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Job 19--Verse 21Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me!Have you ever wanted to help a grieving friend but didn’t know what to say? Sometimes not knowing what to say—or thinking we know the answers--aren’t what our loved ones need. Job’s friends wanted to help, but their “help” ended up being wrong and didn’t comfort Job. Tryin...  Read More