Job was worn out emotionally and mentally. To his friends who had given their honest assessment of the situation, he said, "Will your long-winded speeches never end?" His human losses were still very fresh and raw in his mind. He had been grieving for at least a week and was now engaged in intense conversation and debate with his so-called friends.
Job was worn out physically. He had physical ailments that would have been enough for any of us to deal with. Add grief on top of that and I'm surprised he was able to have coherent conversations at all!
Job was worn out materially. More like wiped out. We know that Job had lost everything he had. He tells God, "you have devastated my entire household."
Job was worn out spiritually. Job states, "God has turned me over to evil men and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked... he seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target." Wow! That is honesty and Job believed he was at rock bottom.
Even in Job's broken state, his faith in God is evident to me. Job poured out his raw thoughts and emotions to God. He continued to direct his thoughts and pleas to God. Through is prayers, he acknowledged God was there and in control of all things. God gave Job the energy and mental astuteness for what must have been a very intense and lively debate. I think it's interesting that Job would first respond to his friends and then transition to direct his statements to God in prayer. Whether they knew it or not, that was an incredible testimony to those men!
In Matthew 5, Jesus promises rewards in heaven for those who are persecuted because of righteousness. I wish Job could have heard (or read) these promises as he was going through his trials. Praise God that Job left us a legacy and that we can learn from today!
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
~ Matthew 5:3-12
Thanks, Terry.....I'll never be able say, "You have worn me out!" to my children again. :) I don't think I've ever been as worn out as Job. And, I love your points backing that up... What a great way to put all this difficult information we are reading, into perspective. It's easy for me to read over these chapters and not really "process" the emotional, mental, and physical toll this is taking on him.
ReplyDeleteTerry - I love the way you pulled in the beatitudes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. You are right - how PERFECT this would have been for Job to lean on in his horrible time of tragedy he was going through because it speaks DIRECTLY to the situation he was in. I also love the example Job set for us about pouring out our HONEST feelings to God. After all, He already knows what is in our hearts already! Let God know how you are feeling, He can handle it!!!
ReplyDeleteI'd say Job was worn out too! Terry, what an insightful post today and the way you put your points in - physically, spiritually, mentally - materially - it's all there.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that we CAN go to God with our hurts, disappointments, arguments, and He is willing and ready to listen. Too often, I just complain to myself (or my husband) and don't take it all to the Lord in prayer. He knows our names and surely He knows exactly what we are thinking and about to speak, so why not "come clean before the Lord."
I also loved the way you laid out this post Terry- as well as how you tied in the Sermon on the Mount. Over and over again in Job I'm reminded of the fact that "this world is not my home." It's amazing the things God pulls out of our hearts through scripture.
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