Day 19 – Chapter 19

“Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! That with an iron stylus and lead they were engraved in the rock forever! As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God; whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes will see and not another. My heart faints within me! If you say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’ And ‘What pretext for a case against him can we find?’ Then be afraid of the sword for yourselves, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, so that you may know there is judgment” (19:23-29).

After Bildad’s second harangue against him, Job now feels completely disrespected and insulted. His so-called friends refuse to back away from seeking to find some flaw in him as the reason why he is suffering in the manner that he. While Job has already attempted to express his dismay at their accusations and lack of compassion, he now begins to speak in such a way as to wonder why everything seems to be against him. I believe there comes a point in everyone’s life when they arrive at the place where their situation or circumstance even makes no sense to them.

Job looks around him and sees that his wife, extended family, friends, colleagues, and even servants have deserted him. No one wants to have anything to do with him. The afflictions in his body have so terribly disfigured him that he is barely more than a bag of bones, and it all seems to add up to the fact that it is God that has done this to him. There have been and there are times in my life when I begin to go beyond introspective questions wondering what I have done to cause my condition or what I could have done to avoid it; to questioning why God has done it or at the very least allowed it. Of course, in Job’s case we have the luxury of looking back and knowing that it was God who allowed it even though Job was innocent. Let me remind you of what you should already know; just as blessings are showered on the just and the unjust, trouble comes to the righteous and the unrighteous. Allow me to be more specific. Not only will the righteous experience trouble, it will exponentially increase the closer and more committed we are to the Lord.

Now I think I do a pretty good job of handling my little trials, but I cannot hold a candle to Job here. I grumble and complain about my little messes that are nothing compared to what Job experienced. I am tempted to stop praying, studying and worshiping in the midst of my prolonged storms overlooking the fact that I am simply playing into the enemy’s strategy. Job vents here, but note how he concludes, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last He will take His stand on the earth” (v.25). Job, in pain, frustrated, even anger continues to worship through his storm. I believe I will do the same. What about you?

Lord, this little praise song lingers in my spirit, “Daily I will worship Thee, Lamb of God who died for me. Who extended endless mercy, daily I will worship Thee.” Help me today to hold on to my worship through every test, every storm, every denial, every insult, every hurt and pain. Let me demonstrate an unyielding spirit and unflagging devotion so that unbelievers will know that You still sit on the throne. Amen.