"Think of how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands. Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees. But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are dismayed. Should not your piety be your confidence and your blameless ways your hope?" (Job 4:2-6, NIV- from 5/4 "Wisdom Books" reading)
It was the darkest day of my life, June 12, 1970. My buddy was gone from his life. In the succeeding days, however, indeed, until now, I never recall that I "got mad at God." I didn't doubt Jesus' keeping power, nor the power to sustain in the Holy Spirit. I think if I had any "doubts," it was concerning myself; where was I headed? Would I survive this? In essence, What now?
I was an energetic preacher, proclaimer of Jesus, Our Lord Jesus Christ Who could do anything, Healer of the sick, Great Deliverer of the oppressed. I said then, as now, a resounding, No, to Eliphaz's question, "Should not your piety be your confidence and your blameless ways your hope?" I had no, "piety," no, "confidence," no, "blameless ways...." I was numb, and it seemed as though I had "nothing." Yet through the encouragement particularly of my Grandpa and Dad in my growing up years, I was always encouraged to live my "signature" verse at the end of every email, "Looking unto Jesus." It was as though even if I wanted to, or was tempted to, I could not have looked elsewhere. It was not I by myself, nor I leaning on some, "piety," or, "blameless ways." Rather, it was the faithful witness of many people around me in the years prior to 1970. I would change the humanist cliche, "It takes a village," to, It takes the Church.
If one thinks that "making it" in life means a personal power, conviction, faith without the Church, they are greatly mistaken. Eliphaz's assumptions were all wrong. He was condemning Job by appealing first to his ego, "Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands. Your words have supported those who stumble...." He then turned this against Job, "Now, look at yourself; shame on you." But I don't think Job was buying it. Job realized that it is not "personal power" which sustains us. Fundamentally, it is Father Power, Son, Jesus, Power, Holy Ghost Power. But you can tell by Job's statement elsewhere, "Miserable comforters are you all," that he was looking for some comfort from his friends.
You and I were never intended to "go it alone." Paul once wrote, "For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn-- conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus." If you do not have a "Titus" in your life, you had better get one! Never allow your ego to make you believe, "I'm my own church."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for all the people like Titus in my life, then and now. Amen.
It was the darkest day of my life, June 12, 1970. My buddy was gone from his life. In the succeeding days, however, indeed, until now, I never recall that I "got mad at God." I didn't doubt Jesus' keeping power, nor the power to sustain in the Holy Spirit. I think if I had any "doubts," it was concerning myself; where was I headed? Would I survive this? In essence, What now?
I was an energetic preacher, proclaimer of Jesus, Our Lord Jesus Christ Who could do anything, Healer of the sick, Great Deliverer of the oppressed. I said then, as now, a resounding, No, to Eliphaz's question, "Should not your piety be your confidence and your blameless ways your hope?" I had no, "piety," no, "confidence," no, "blameless ways...." I was numb, and it seemed as though I had "nothing." Yet through the encouragement particularly of my Grandpa and Dad in my growing up years, I was always encouraged to live my "signature" verse at the end of every email, "Looking unto Jesus." It was as though even if I wanted to, or was tempted to, I could not have looked elsewhere. It was not I by myself, nor I leaning on some, "piety," or, "blameless ways." Rather, it was the faithful witness of many people around me in the years prior to 1970. I would change the humanist cliche, "It takes a village," to, It takes the Church.
If one thinks that "making it" in life means a personal power, conviction, faith without the Church, they are greatly mistaken. Eliphaz's assumptions were all wrong. He was condemning Job by appealing first to his ego, "Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands. Your words have supported those who stumble...." He then turned this against Job, "Now, look at yourself; shame on you." But I don't think Job was buying it. Job realized that it is not "personal power" which sustains us. Fundamentally, it is Father Power, Son, Jesus, Power, Holy Ghost Power. But you can tell by Job's statement elsewhere, "Miserable comforters are you all," that he was looking for some comfort from his friends.
You and I were never intended to "go it alone." Paul once wrote, "For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn-- conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus." If you do not have a "Titus" in your life, you had better get one! Never allow your ego to make you believe, "I'm my own church."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for all the people like Titus in my life, then and now. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
