Who is to Blame? - Job 25-29
Insight Into Scripture
Good Morning! Are you hanging in there while we are moving through Job? Some say that the book of Job can be quite challenging to read, but, I believe that if we break it down, it becomes quite easy.
Today, we start with chapter 25 where Bildad explains that man can not be righteous. Job responds to Bildad in chapter 26 that GOD's majesty is unsearchable, then switches gears in chapter 27 where he explains that he will maintain his integrity.Job then goes on (Yes, this is a long discourse of Job's) to ask where is wisdom? We end with chapter 29 where Job starts his summary of defense.
Bringing the Bible Alive
If you do not end up reading the entire book of Job, I would encourage you to read certain portions. Chapter 28 is worth taking the time to read. It is a wonderful "Wisdom Hymn." The best part of Job's thoughts are at the end of the chapter, Job sums it up in verse 28:
"The fear of the Lord-that is wisdom,
and to shun evil is understanding."
Some people have a problem or do not fully understand the word fear. To me fear means being afraid of something to the point of wanting to avoid it. A better word than fear might be respect.
Thought For the Day
The topic, why bad things happen to good people, is hard to grasp. I do not have all the answers, but I hope that these couple of days have shed some light onto the subject.
We had a story in the news a couple of weeks ago, where a boy that was 13 was getting off his school bus after school. As he got off the bus he cut in front of the school bus, and proceeded to cross the street. He did not see the dump truck that was coming in the opposite lane. The dump truck hit the boy and killed him.
When we hear these stories our first reaction is sadness, we are sadden that this could happen, we feel for the parents and the other children he left behind. Sometimes if we do not keep those feelings in check, they turn to anger and confusion. We become angry that it happened and we look to go out and blame someone.
We look to blame the parents, did they not teach their child? But, we look at the parents and they have 3 other children, so I guess they did. Then we look to blame the bus driver, maybe he did not take the proper precautions, but in looking he has a perfect record and all saftey steps were taken. So, we look to the garbage truck company, they must be to blame. They must have been negligent. But, in looking they followed all the rules.
If you follow this pattern of trying to put the blame on someone it will eventually lead to GOD. We try and blame GOD, it is HIS fault, HE allowed this to happen. How could a good GOD that loves us let this happen? We pin the blame on HIM and we start to build up a wall between HE and us.
We must always remember that we do live in a fallen world, there are going to be things that are going to happen that we will not be able to explain. We must be willing to accept this concept and live in faith. WE must know the the Lord will use this for His good, in some way, ways we may never know. I am sure as JOB went through and even lived the blessings afterwards, he had NO idea that his story would be read by millions of people. And what he suffered has given millions of people hope for the future. Have a very blessed day and may the LORD's face shine upon you. - Jim
Closing Prayer
Dear Jesus
Thank You Father for this day, the sunshine and the fresh air. Father I pray that I can take that time to just sit back and see Your majestic world around me and not get so caught up in the little things. Father I thank You for this story of Job, this man that had such a heart for You and suffered so much, only to still be in love with You and be so blessed. He, You have taught me so much about suffering. I love You Father, Amen.
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Bible Trivia:
Who asked Jesus to let the sons of Zebedee sit at each side of Jesus in His Kingdom?
Matthew 20:20-21
ANSWER: Salome, Wife of Zebedees and Mother of Zebedees children, James and John
Matthew 20:20-21 (KJV)
20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
Salome Loved Jesus and as any Mother I am sure that she never forgot the day her sons left their father and the fishing business to follow Jesus. She too had come to believe that Jesus was the Messiah.
Jesus gave these two brothers the nickname "Sons of Thunder" and became apart of the inner circle.
When she asked of Jesus for her sons to sit one on His right and one on His Left Jesus did not respond to her He turned to James and John and said, "You don't know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?"
I read this and think that Jesus did this knowing Zebedee's sons better than anyone, realized that Salome was only voicking their ambitions, and was being a mother and asking what she felt would make her sons happy. As we all know now, Jesus reply and the subsequent events proved, she didn't begin to comprehend what she was asking. Soon she would see the crucifixion of the beloved Jesus and she would be one of the women who would be going to the tomb and hear the angel pronounce that "HE IS RISEN" HE IS NOT HERE."
Instead of Salome, setting aside her Motherly ways of thinking and asking of Jesus, what he wanted for her sons, she acted as though she knew exactly what He needed to do on their behalf. She did not even think that Jesus had exhorted His followers to leave behind not only houses, brothers and sisters, fathers and MOTHERS for His sake, but also children. In Salome's case it didn't mean turning her back on her children but simple SURRENDERING them to God. It meant putting Jesus above everything and everyone, loving HIM more than her own sons. ONLY then would she understand the meaning of what they would suffer as followers of Christ. Only then would she really know how to pray.
As a mother how do you think Salome would have handled things if she knew that when Jesus stated to her sons "You will indeed drink from my cup,...", this meant they would be the first martyred, dying at the hands of Herod Agrippa.
This is one of many stories that impacted my life in the ways of training and releasing my own Children unto the Lord. I realized early in trying to be a Godly parent that in the raising of my children their would be levels of beginnings and end of guiding them toward God and His ways. These times are there for all Parents maybe a little difference in age line but if you pray and seek God He will let you know when it is time to let your children go in each of these stages of Life.
It is better that you let a child make a mistake still under your roof and you be their to show your love and forgiveness. If they can experience this in you they will even Trust this coming from God all the more.
IN CHRIST
Ecc.3
Donna
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