“Men listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel.”
~ Job 29:21
Hi James and Ellen,
Would you ever want to pull a Job? Would you ever want to go through the horrific experiences that Job had to endure? Would you ever want to have your faith gift – which a guy, gal or kid receives when he or she makes a decision of faith to believe in what God – as God the Son, did for him or her when He was hung on and nailed to crossed wood beams so that the blood that poured from His dying body would be a ransom payment for his or her sins, taxed and tested by the sudden deaths of very close family members, the loss of all of your possessions, the nonstop discomfort of painful infirmities, the shameful demise of your peers’ respect and the humiliating putdowns by guys and/or gals who call you their friend? Even though Job had been doing life right – which to your grandpaa means that Job was always purposely putting God – as God the Father, in the center of his life, Job took a monster life hit. God – as God the Father, gave the okay to Satan for Satan to make life unbearably miserable for Job. Life lessons that are driven by God – as God the Spirit, are designed by God – as God the Father, to teach perseverance to a Christ-follower guy, gal or kid. Your grandpaa does not know what God – as God the Father, wanted to prove by permitting Satan to put the kind of hurt on Job that he did – other than to prove to Satan that he does not have the ability or power to take away the faith gift that God – as God the Spirit, gives to guys, gals and kids who go through His faith/grace door to join the continually growing family of Christ-follower guys, gals and kids.
Job – in Job 29, gives a synopsis of his personal life before God – as God the Father, allowed Satan to unleash his destructive abilities to physically harass, emotionally demean and spiritually tax and test him. Job starts out his life story with having his hero – God, being his watchful caretaker. Job pictures or envisions his hero – God, as being his ‘Lamp’ shining over his head and his ‘Light’ lighting his way through life’s darkness. Job recalls how his hero – God, having been his most intimate friend Who had blessed his home with His continual presence. Job then recollects what life was like for him before the Almighty – his hero God, left him completely on his own to suffer ignominiously in the clutches of the evil villain – Satan. Job emotionally remembers how his kids blessed his life. Job thankfully reminisces how his life had been ‘drenched with cream’ – richness, and how ‘streams of oil’– luxury, had poured out on his life as blessings. Job ruefully reflects on the days when his peers were giving him the prime public seat in the city’s square. Job mentally reenacts in his mind the ascribed respect and position that he had had at one time with young guys – who out of respect for him would courteously step aside when he neared them and with chief guys – who out of esteem for him would cover their mouths to keep from speaking when Job spoke. Job – in verse 21, honestly, reflectively recounts “Men listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel.” Your grandpaa’s dad rarely spoke in meetings. Your grandpaa’s dad was okay with just sitting and listening to what was being discussed. When your grandpaa’s dad would finally be asked by another guy what his thoughts were about what was being discussed, what your grandpaa’s dad would say as a summation to what he was hearing being said was oftentimes the final word. Your grandpaa remembers that his dad was always liked by and had the respect of other guys. Your grandmaa remembers her dad the same way – that your grandmaa’s dad was also always liked by and was always respected by other guys. Your grandmaa’s dad was a lot more gregarious or outgoing than your grandpaa’s dad. Your grandpaa knows that he is much like his dad as your grandpaa – when he is a meeting with other guys, rarely voluntarily says something. Your grandpaa prefers to speak one to one with guys.
Job did not stop with telling who he had been to others; Job went on with his life story by recounting what he had done for others. Job revisited in his mind the poor who he had rescued, orphans who he had assisted, a dying guy who had blessed him, a widow who he had encouraged, a blind guy who he had been the eyes for, a lame guy who he had been the feet for, the needy who he had been the father to and the stranger who he had defended. Job vulnerably shared how he purposively lived his life by making righteousness his clothing and justice his robe and turban. Job courageously testified that he had spoken against the fangs and had snatched oppressed victims from the teeth of wicked guys and gals. Job transparently confessed that he had thought that he had been on a life track that would have him – after living a long and prosperous life, dying in his own house versus dying in disrepute with his body completely covered with abscesses. Would you like to live problem and trial free lives? If that is what you are really hoping will be your kind of lives, try again; your grandpaa can guarantee you that you will invariably come face to face with God-driven life lessons which will tax, test and stretch your free faith gift. God has preplanned, predetermined and prewritten life experience exams that He is going to give you throughout your lives – with only split-second notices, which only He can help you pass. Your grandpaa knows from experience from his own failures that you will fail some of these life experience exams. There will be times when you will become angry with God for putting you in what you perceive to be in untenable situations. There will be other times when you will forget to ask God to extinguish the fear that has suddenly overwhelmed you. If you want to pull a Job, you will first have to make God your hero by . . . you will make the evil villain – Satan, very happy if you do not make God your hero.
Job 29 (835)