Thursday, August 12, 2021

LEARNING FROM OUR TROUBLES

Today’s Reading: Job 1-2

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

There is a tomb in Nazareth Village that represents the tomb were Jesus was buried. Nazareth Village is a tourist attraction in modern Nazareth that re-enacts what life would have been like when Jesus lived there. Today we begin reading the book of Job. Job cries out for a redeemer and a mediator between himself and God. The empty tomb is proof that Jesus is Redeemer and Mediator, and that the last enemy, death, is conquered!

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

 

Key Verses: Job 1:21

And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

 

The enemy of Job is Satan! Job is unaware of the work of Satan. Satan is the one who has “taken away,” but only with God’s permission. Even though Job believed that God was causing the disasters, he remained faithful to God.

Job is considered to be the oldest book in the Bible. The Sabeans and the Chaldeans were nomads who had not yet settled into cities as later history indicates. Job lived for 200 years, which makes him at the very least a contemporary of Abraham who lived for 175 years. Job uses the Name for God used by Abraham, “Shaddai,” 31 times. This means “The Almighty One.” There are no references to Israel, the Law or the Tabernacle. Therefore, we can conclude that Job did not have the first books of the Bible for his instruction. Because we have the Bible, we know far more than Job about the destructive spiritual powers waging war in this world. As an example of the knowledge we have available to us, read 1 Peter 5:6-9. Satan is still active in this world, but we know that the death and resurrection are proof that Jesus took Satan’s evil actions upon Himself. James 5:11b says, “You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord – that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I ask for grace to always apply to my everyday life the knowledge which I have as a result of reading the entire Bible. I pray that I will learn the very difficult lessons taught here in the book of Job. I ask these mercies in the Name of the Redeemer/Mediator for whom Job was seeking. Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

My new baby son, David Reynold (our photographer), came home from the hospital with a staph infection, causing boils on his little head. Job had boils. I’ve had one boil only, and that was very painful. My heart was pained for Reynold as I had an idea about his suffering. At the time I was working from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, on a new church building in Deep River, Ontario. We lived in Pembroke, 26 miles away. When I would arrive home, Norma-Jean would hand Reynold to me to put to sleep. She had been holding him all day, as it was painful for him to lay his head on the pillow because of the boils. I would rock him for 2 or 3 hours until he fell into a sleep deep enough to bear the pain. I often wept for him as I would pray for his healing. When he was old enough, we purchased a Jolly Jumper, hooked it on the door frame, and he would fall asleep there, his little legs still kicking occasionally. God did heal him eventually, but the results of his months in the Jumper were yet to come. He went to University on a full football scholarship and was the fastest runner on the team. Of course, I’m not saying that this was the reason God allowed the boils. There may have been another reason. He is a man who feels the pain of others. For example, when he was 8 years old, we lived across the road from Queensdale school in Hamilton. He would dash out the door after lunch and I thought he was going to play in the school yard. When we moved from there, the neighbours came by to wish us well. A lady I had not met before said to me, “Thank you for Reynold. He would come by my home at noon each day and take my blind son for a walk along the street. He would describe the leaves, the squirrels, etc. and then return him to my door.” I wept! Perhaps the blessings of Job’s later years were as a result of the sufferings he had endured.

Yours for learning from our troubles,

David

9 thoughts on “Thursday, August 12, 2021

  1. Thank you Lord for this blog and for David’s comments today, I was very much touched by what he said about Reynold. What a very compassionate young boy who has grown up to still be that way, as he and his wife minister to the people of Uganda. Bless all the Mainse family.
    Thinking of all my blog friends who are needing a special touch from the Lord and praying for all. Eleanor M.

  2. Can’t even imagine going thru what Job went thru. I would have thrown a vicious pity party and called it quits. God does work in mysterious ways for sure. Love this blog and how it teaches us to hang on and keep loving our Lord thru thick and thin.
    Asking God to bless all saints in these trying days. Thank you Jesus for the New Covenant and understanding its value.

  3. The story of Job is incredible. The fact it is the oldest book in the Bible is so meaningful. I wrote an exegesis of Jonah 2:1-10—In the Belly of God’s Grace in graduate school. Wishing all saints a blessed day in the Lord. His peace be with you.

    Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17-18

    Chris Tomlin – Holy Is The Lord (Lyrics And Chords)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVWBt8bfmCs

    • This is embarrassing as I realized I mixed up Jonah with Job in my comment above. He reminds me of Paul who kept trusting in God no matter how many afflictions he faced. It is a great reminder for me and all saints, saddled with physical trials. How great is our God. Amen.

  4. Thanks for that scripture reference, Beverlee. I find it uplifting in times of difficulty.
    Our circumstances may change but God never changes. He’s ALWAYS faithful, compassionate, loving and ALWAYS worthy of our praise and trust.

    Praying for all bloggers today.
    Thinking of Doreen, Eleanor and Edward, Beverlee in particular. May God bless you all!

  5. Thank you Luisa. Things are getting better & I think I can continue to live on my own. My car is fixed so I can keep up with obligations & necessities in the area that I live in. (No long trips anymore though). Love this blog too. Take care all. Pray always. God is so faithful. Amen

    • Thankful to hear you have resolved things Doreen and are confident in your decision. Your voice sounds very strong. The Lord’s continued blessings upon you.

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