The Well
The Well |
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Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Monday
September 22, 2008
"Do you know the mind and purposes of God? Will long searching make them
known to you? Are you qualified to judge the Almighty? He is as faultless as
heaven is high -- but who are you? His mind is fathomless -- what can you know
in comparison? His Spirit is broader than the earth and wider than the sea. If
he rushes in and makes an arrest, and calls the court to order, who is going to
stop him? For he knows perfectly all the faults and sins of mankind; he sees all
sin without searching.
"Mere man is as likely to be wise as a wild donkey's
colt is likely to be born a man!
"Before you turn to God and stretch out your
hands to him, get rid of your sins and leave all iniquity behind you. Only then,
without the pots of sin to defile you, can you walk steadily forward to God
without fear. Only then can you forget your misery. It will all be in the past.
And your life will be cloudless; any darkness will be as bright as
morning!
"You will have courage because you will have hope. You will take
your time and rest in safety. You will like down unafraid, and many will look to
you for help."
Job 11:7-19
We all know the story, Job lost everything – everything that is except his condemning wife and accusing friends. This passage of scripture is part of a discourse from one of Job's friends. All of this is truth. All of this needs to be taken to heart. However, when said in the context of telling someone that the tragedies that happen in their life is a result of God's punishment on them – it is wrong.
Granted, God does punish sin, but I honestly don't believe there is any sin we can commit that would cause God to take from us all the things that were taken away from Job. Rather, the evil one, the prince of darkness, the prince of this earth, the one who comes to steal, kill, and destroy takes these things from us. He hopes he can destroy our faith in God and our joy.
In Marie Chapian's book, His Thoughts Toward Me, the writing New
Choices, describes for us the way God sees us:
"I have covered you
with a holy robe of righteousness. You were the clothing of salvation. (Do you
know what that means?)
Right now, today, at this moment, it means you are
saved from the agonized cry of despair. I have seen all that has happened in
your life. I have seen every person who has walked across your days.
I
know.
I see.
I listen.
I AM.
Right now, at this moment, I AM holding
you, loving you, comforting you. My voice is softly singing to you and it is I
who lifts your chin, urging you to take the garland of beauty I give you for the
ashes you have been wearing. Take the perfume of joy instead of the bleak and
futile stains of sorrow.
Wear praise like a golden robe and the heavy,
burdened and failing spirit will flee from you."
What else is there to say?
