Today’s Tasting: Job 40-42– The Lord answered Job with many more questions and reminders of His greatness.
Job replied, “I’m speechless, in awe—words fail me. I should have never opened my mouth! I’ve talked too much, way too much. I’m ready to shut up and listen” (Job 40:3-5). Job realized that he had heard about God, but now he saw and heard God for himself. Job repented and asked God to forgive him.
The Lord told Job’s friends to go to Job and offer a sacrifice to Him, which they did. Then Job prayed for his friends and the Lord heard his prayer. After that, the Lord restored to Job twice the possessions he had before. The Lord also restored Job’s relationships and his family.
Today’s Nourishment:
- Job, stunned to silence, decided that he had nothing else to say or do. He had seen and heard the Lord’s greatness for himself.
- Job repented. He realized that the Lord is God and that he was nothing without God in his life.
- Job offered a sacrifice with his friends. Offering a sacrifice meant that they drew near to God.
- Job prayed after the sacrifice, and the Lord blessed him.
Each person who desires to draw near to God must become silent to see and hear Him, and repent and pray. No one can take those steps for you; no one can live my relationship with the Lord except me. Here are some suggestions.
- Sit in silence to see and hear God: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 ESV).
- Repent: Job changed his thinking after he realized the greatness of God and his own smallness. He repented. To repent means “to turn or to change your thinking.”
- Offer a sacrifice: We no longer need to offer the type of sacrifice Job and his friends offered to approach our Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ, through His death on the cross became our once, only, and for all sacrifice. To us, to offer a sacrifice means to “draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands…and purify your hearts” (James 4:8 ESV). We may offer to God the sacrifice of ourselves: “Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-informed maturity in you” (Romans 12:1-2 MSG).
- Pray with me: Lord, there is none like You. No greatness matches Your greatness and splendor. You are God. I am nothing without you. I draw near to you and offer you my life and everything about it today. Change me from the inside out and mature me into the image of Christ.
Comment in the section below and write a sentence or two about how you offer your life to God.
Tomorrow’s Delight: Genesis 12-15
Carolyn Marlowe, CCLC
https://www.facebook.com/AlivebyHisWord
This is great. Isn’t it amazing that when we get out of the way it is then we can hear and see God. I’m so thankful for a God who loves us enough to prove Himself strong to us. We absolutely can do nothing without Him. For of Him, Through Him, and To Him are all things says Rom 11:36. I offer my life to Him through obedience. I purpose in my heart to keep myself open to Him. I’ve learned and am still learning through the trials and sufferings of life that He is Lord over my life and wants nothing but the best for me. Even Christ learned obedience by the things which He suffered Says Heb 5:8.
What an awesome and mighty God we serve! I am nothing without Him! I want him to change me daily from the inside out.
Yes, Tammy, if we would only get out of the way.
Jacinta, He is awesome and mighty! I want Him to change me too.