Three In One – In His Hands, Empty Talk, My Redeemer Lives

Day Twenty-two: January 22 – In His Hands

Today’s Tasting: Job 12-14: Job continues ranting, You think you know everything. “Well, I know a few things myself—and you’re no better than I am.”

In his weakest moment, Job declared that his disaster came from the hand of the Lord. The life of everything, and the breath of every human, rest in His hand. He holds the power to destroy or build. Some true things found in his God:

• wisdom
• power
• counsel
• understanding
• strength 

Job said to his friends, “…I know as much as you do. You are no better than I am… I want to argue my case with God himself. O God, grant me these two things:”

1. 1.     Remove your heavy hand from me
2. 2.     Don’t terrify me with your awesome presence

“Tell me what I have done wrong? Show me my rebellion and my sin.” Job says to God that if He would destroy him, He would not have to deal with his sins.

Today’s Nourishment: In his lowest state, Job rants that he knows a few things, but true wisdom, power, strength, counsel, and understanding come only from God. His hand holds the power to reverse any situation or person. He recognized that everything and everyone rest in God’s hand. Yet, Job could not rest in His hands.

The hand of God symbolized, that which rests in His possession, while a heavy hand symbolizes God’s punishment. Job pleaded with the Lord to remove any punishment from His hand and the fear of His presence.

In your lowest moment, will you recognize that all wisdom, power, counsel, understanding, and strength come from the Lord? In your lowest moment, will you ask for these things, which only he gives? He said that if we ask, He would give it. In your lowest moment, will you recognize that, as the childhood song goes, He’s got the whole world in His hands? He took the whole world in His hands, stretched them out on the crucifixion stake, died, and gloriously rose from the grave.

For those of us who have accepted Him as Lord and Savior, Jesus took our case and paid the price for our sin. Jesus took our punishment and we now come into His presence, because of the finished work of Christ. He cried, “It is finished,” and it was. Any case that we present to the Lord, He would say, “You may not present your case before me. Jesus, my Son, presented your case. His blood cleansed your case. Case dismissed.”

Tomorrow’s Reading: Job 15-18

Day Twenty-three: January 23 – A Windbag of Empty Talk

Today’s Tasting: Job 15-18: Job’s first friend responds a second time: “You’re nothing but a windbag.” A wise man avoids such empty talk and chatter. If you fear God and walk in His wisdom, why do you talk like this and say such things?

Job continues to live in his pity party. He responds to his friend’s demeaning ideas, “what miserable comforters you are? Won’t you ever stop blowing hot air? What makes you keep on talking?” Job declares his innocence and describes his grief and crushed spirit.

Today’s Nourishment: Avoid empty talk and chatter. No amount of talk or explaining reduces our pain of grief or hurt. Only the Lord heals a crushed spirit. 2 Timothy 2:16 – But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness. ^[1]

Sometimes beneath all the talk, lies a heart that needs healing, someone who needs to be heard, or a life that needs peace. What words do we speak? Are they empty talk and chatter?

Tomorrow’s Reading: Job 19-21 

 

Day Twenty-four: January 24 – My Redeemer Lives

Today’s Tasting: Job 19-21: Job asked how long will you torture me? How long will you try to crush me with your words? Even if I have sinned, that is my concern and not yours. But God wronged me, capturing me in his net…. Must you also persecute me, like God does? Haven’t you chewed me up enough?

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!”

Job’s friend’s response: I must reply because I am greatly disturbed. I’ve had to endure your insults, but now my spirit prompts me to reply…the triumph of the wicked has been short lived and the joy of the godless reaches to the heavens and their heads touch the clouds, yet they will vanish forever….

Job’s response: Give me one consolation, just listen to me, please let me speak, bear with me. You may mock me some more after I finish speaking. My complaint is with God, not with people. I have lost my children, my animals, and my home. Those with no loss, God does not punish. The wicked keep going, with no punishment.

“How can your empty clichés comfort me? All your explanations are lies.”

Today’s Nourishment: I know that my Redeemer lives. Only the Holy Spirit reveals to us that our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, lives. Thank you, Lord, that you live in me. Though the world speaks clichés (overused expressions or ideas) your Word is true and you live. The same power that raised Christ from the dead abides in me. Fill me with that power to live the Christ life today.

Tomorrow’s Reading: Job 22-25