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January 7th

Our scripture reading today in Job (chapters 14-16) reveals hopeful beliefs that made up Job’s faith which encourages mine.

Now, remember, Job is still not comforted by his friends’ attempts at explaining his unfortunate reversals and continuing afflictions in body and soul. (They told him that he was “doing away with the fear of the Lord”. In other words, Job’s “big sin” must be no less than disregarding the humble worship of God and influencing others to do the same. **Wow...they must not have truly known Job at all. God called him a righteous man. They called him a phony. How could anyone stand up under such a bombardment of false accusations? Perhaps it was “who” Job believed...God rather than his self serving companions. And perhaps it was “what” Job believed...truth from God rather than the humanistic philosophy of men.

Here are a few hopeful beliefs that we find Job hanging onto when the pain of loss and being misjudged was coming close to overriding his life and message of faith in God.

1. Job believed God that “Life is short, not long...and God knows that”...in fact, God determines a person’s days upon the earth. And His determinations are perfect in accomplishing His devine purposes with us and through us. Once again, Job reminds us of the good and great Sovereignty of God...especially when we are struggling with “the whys” of life.

2. Job believed God that “Life is full of trouble...” including death...but God is in control of all of that too...regardless of how unexpected and cruel it may seem to us...for at the very least, as Job put it, “if we die we shall live again” in perfect harmony and fellowship with God our Savior and Lord...forever.

1. And one more...Job believed God that “Life may seem to unfairly gang up against us, but God is our Advocate, committed to our eternal welfare...and God is our Witness...who says, “I know this man, and his testimony can be trusted.”

What would Job say about Jesus? “He’s the man, not me. I may have suffered unjustly for my own sins in some ways. But Jesus suffered unjustly, not for his own transgressions, but for ours who believe in Him. Yes, Jesus is better! Trust Him!