June 7th, 2020
Devotional
“Job Part 1” -
Job 1: 1-22
Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com
Monday: “Blameless” - Job 1: 1-2
The author of Job goes to great lengths to explain to us, the hearers and readers, how Job was known. He is described as someone who was blameless. Who lived an upright life. Who feared God. Who turned from evil.
How Job is described is not just how he appeared to other people, it was also how he lived his life.
Now, does that mean that Job was perfect? No. He was still human. But I would describe Job as a man who lived with integrity - how he appeared to other people is who he actually was in his innermost being.
Perhaps being a person of integrity is one of the harder aspects of living in our world today. It is so easy to put on a front to the outside world, while inside that is not who we are at all. But no matter how we may portray ourselves to others, God always knows who we are at the deepest and most intimate level.
How would others describe you? How would you describe yourself? How do you think that God would describe you?
Prayer: God, we thank you that you know us because you knit us together. There is nothing about who we are that we can hide from you. Help us, O Lord, to live as Job did - as ones who are blameless and upright. Who fear you and do not do what is evil. Help us to live out this intention each and every day. Amen.
Tuesday: “Many” - Job 1: 3-5
When I read this section of the book of Job, what strikes me is the word “many”. Job was a man who had many blessings. He had many servants. Many animals. Many children. In terms of the society in which Job lived, he would have been considered richly blessed.
But verse five reminds us that Job is not just blessed, he is also humble. He shares what he has, throwing feasts. He would rise early in the morning to worship God - offering sacrifices not just for himself, but for his children as well. Job did not take what he had and hoard it - he shared it and he held it tenderly within his hands.
In what ways is your life richly blessed? How are you humbly holding these blessings?
Prayer: Lord, we confess that we have a tendency from time to time to think that we have accomplished or earned the blessings in our lives. As a result, we are slow to share what we have and hold on tightly to that which you have given us. Remind us, O Lord, that all blessings come first and foremost from you. Let us live lives that reflect your goodness in the world. Amen.
Wednesday: “Satan” - Job 1: 6-12
The power of evil is real in this world. Satan is a real force that is dealt with and should not be discussed lightly. However, how we envision Satan is not the same as the author of Job. Satan in this text is simply known as the Adversary. And while he certainly brings much pain and destruction, it is still not in the same way that we necessarily envision Satan today.
Satan in this text brings a charge against Job - that Job only was faithful to God because he was blessed. In other words, he didn’t truly fear God, but instead was just along for the ride because things were going so well. To prove Satan wrong, God allowed Job to be tested, but within perimeters - Job’s health was off limits.
This part of the story can make us uncomfortable - why would God allow Satan to test Job. For years upon years people have wrestled with the idea of pain - where does it come from? Why is it in our lives? The story of Job shows Satan causing Job pain, but also brings in the question of how Job could possibly glorify God even in the midst of suffering.
How can we glorify God in the midst of suffering?
Prayer: God, give us the type of faith that can weather the storms of life. Give us faith that seeks you, even in the midst of pain. Strengthen us, O Lord, to stay faithful, even when others think we will be led astray. Gird us, O Lord. Amen.
Thursday: “Messengers” -Job 1: 13-19
This week in worship one of the songs that we sang was “It is Well with My Soul.” The story behind this hymn is heartbreaking. It’s author, Horatio Spafford, wrote the hymn after several life changing events in his life. Life changing events that no one would ever want to face. His two year old son died in the Great Chicago Fire. The fire also destroyed his lively hood. Then his four daughters died in a shipwreck. His wife survived and sent him a telegram simply stating, “Saved alone.” All of this happened within the span of time from 1871 - 1873.
Spafford would have known what Job felt like, with one messenger after another coming to him with yet another tragedy. We, too, may know that type of pain. The pain where you are afraid to answer the next phone call or message, because you don’t know what it will bring. But Spafford reminds us that we can still seek out God even at times when the messengers of this world bring us unbearable news.
How does Spafford’s story relate to the lyrics he wrote? How can this guide our lives as well?
Prayer: Lord, there are times in our lives when we feel like all is lost and we don’t know where to turn. Remind us, O Lord, that we can turn to you. Meet us in our hour of need. Amen.
Friday: “Bless the Name of the Lord” - Job 1: 20-22
If Satan thought that he could prove that Job would curse God if he faced tragedy, he was wrong. Job still turned to God in the midst of his mourning. He turn to God in lament - crying out to God is his suffering, but he turned to God. More than that, he continued to bless God.
It is almost unfathomable to think about how Job could bless God after what he had experienced, but he could do so because of what we talked about on Monday. He was a man who truly believed and lived out his deep trust in God. It was not conditional as Satan had accused him of. He was faithful because God is God not because of the blessings that God had bestowed upon him.
How can we praise God even in the midst of the storms of life?
Prayer: Lord, you are worthy of all honor, glory, and praise no matter what our days may hold. Enable us to be people who go forth to praise your name, no matter what. Amen.
Saturday: Preparing for the Word
You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “Job - Part 2” - Job 3: 1-10, 4: 1-9, 7: 11-21
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