August 5, 2022 – Ps 43, Pr 3, Job 29

Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house, when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me, when my path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.
Job 29:4‭-‬6 NIV

Job knows all that the favor that he had from God. He saw his relationship with God as intimate. That intimacy was both directions. We know that it was intimacy from Job to God because God knew him and knew that he would not faulter. And intimacy from God to Job because Job recognized God at work in his life and around him. This entire chapter talks of all that Job had that he accredited to God. He knew that all his blessings came from God. He also knows that even as those blessings are taken away. Think of the chapters before this where he says repeatedly that who is he to question God or blame God. God made all things and gives all things so God has the right to take it away.

What a great example of relationship with God.

1 thought on “August 5, 2022 – Ps 43, Pr 3, Job 29

  1. Psalm 43
    5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
    Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.

    this verse is stated Word for Word in psalm 42 twice. This is the third time it appears amongst the pages of truth. We know the importance of the repetition in the Bible. But also I found it interesting that it was included in another Psalm and for us to read on another day. I see it is affirmation that being unsettled happens to everybody and although we pray and hope for immediate release, it can stick around for a little bit. Reinforcing the fact that we must continue to praise him and he will soon replace all things unsettled with his peace and grace. Hang in there. 🙂

    Proverbs 3 answers back to a down cast soul with some of the verses I noted:

    3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
    bind them around your neck,
    write them on the tablet of your heart.

    5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
    6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.

    25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
    or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
    26 for the Lord will be at your side
    and will keep your foot from being snared.

    Being unsettled can be very closely associated to fear…fear that you’re not doing enough, fear that maybe you’re doing too much in some circumstances, fear for change, fear for the next step, fear of the unknown, etc. Whatever causes us to be unsettled.

    We may never know why we are unsettled, at times, But, I do know that keeping our eyes postured up, our hands postured together in prayer, and praising our Lord WILL help us to settle down. He will help us settle down. AT ALL TIMES.

    Job 29

    When I read this chapter it made me think of two things.

    First I thought about each and every Christian and how we all should be in such a relationship with God…that He knows that we can handle whatever it is we encounter and that will be used to strengthen, broaden and grow his kingdom.

    When we are in the midst of whatever battle we have, we should pray to have the faith Job had…that came straight from the spring of grace God had poured on him all of his life.

    At times it is not easy to be a Christian..to have eyes upon you and try to live like Jesus. There are so many examples in the Bible showing those that have succeeded, failed and stumbled.

    The second thought that came to mind when reading that is twofold…

    1). I think of people of all ages, Christians who battle an illness, for example, are like Job looking back. I have been put in positions where my physical health was so drained or at other times my mental health was so confusing that I had caught myself saying to people, new acquaintances, “I wish you knew me then, I wish you knew the strength of my physical and mental state then.”

    I no longer say that, because God has shown me that each physical, mental, spiritual, and. financial trial that I have had to endure has led me to be a warrior. A strong and faithful servant to my God. I am blessed that he chose me for each and every circumstance.

    2). I think of the elderly people when I read this chapter. It makes me wonder how they feel. There are a few that come to mind, and one in particular, a woman in our church who has grown up in the church, is in her 80s and has served the Lord so diligently. She loves God like a child of times. I wonder if some of the things that are stated in these verses cross her mind as she stumbles in this world but never in her faith.

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