"Remember how your words have guided and encouraged many in need. But now you feel discouraged when struck by trouble." (Job 4:3-5, CEV)
Job's friends said some good things; our text is one of them. At the end of the book, however, God rebukes Job's three friends for not rightly representing Him, "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has." Thoughts on this could be for another time. But there is a "word" in our text for you and me.
Of our text, we probably all could say, "Been there, done that." Speaking encouraging words is easier than receiving encouraging words. I guess the short of it is, "It's easier said than done." The summer Stephen "went to be with the Lord," found me in our text. I'm not so sure "discouraged" was the dominate mood as was absolute numbness. I was as the one described in the old hymn,
"One sat alone beside the highway begging,
His eyes were blind, the light he could not see;
He clutched his rags and shivered in the shadows,
Then Jesus came and bade his darkness flee."
When Jesus "came," He brought back to me the, "guided and encouraged many in need."
Today and every day, I suppose, there are at least attempts of the Enemy to make us, "feel discouraged when struck by trouble." But when it happens, remember my friend, "Then Jesus came and bade his darkness flee." He has, and He will.
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You so much for the times, "Then Jesus came." Amen.
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Attached is a photo of the Indian Affairs Committee hearing which I attended this week. You can see some of the Native Americans in the photo. Some committee members do not refer to "reservations"; they use the term "Indian Country." (Click on the photo for a better view; sorry for the angle.)
Job's friends said some good things; our text is one of them. At the end of the book, however, God rebukes Job's three friends for not rightly representing Him, "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has." Thoughts on this could be for another time. But there is a "word" in our text for you and me.
Of our text, we probably all could say, "Been there, done that." Speaking encouraging words is easier than receiving encouraging words. I guess the short of it is, "It's easier said than done." The summer Stephen "went to be with the Lord," found me in our text. I'm not so sure "discouraged" was the dominate mood as was absolute numbness. I was as the one described in the old hymn,
"One sat alone beside the highway begging,
His eyes were blind, the light he could not see;
He clutched his rags and shivered in the shadows,
Then Jesus came and bade his darkness flee."
When Jesus "came," He brought back to me the, "guided and encouraged many in need."
Today and every day, I suppose, there are at least attempts of the Enemy to make us, "feel discouraged when struck by trouble." But when it happens, remember my friend, "Then Jesus came and bade his darkness flee." He has, and He will.
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You so much for the times, "Then Jesus came." Amen.
***********************
Attached is a photo of the Indian Affairs Committee hearing which I attended this week. You can see some of the Native Americans in the photo. Some committee members do not refer to "reservations"; they use the term "Indian Country." (Click on the photo for a better view; sorry for the angle.)
Sent from my iPhone
