Today’s readings are Job 4-7, Psalm 99, and Revelation 11.
What is your reaction or response when something bad or challenging happens in your life? What about when something bad happens in the lives of others? In the book of Job we see God allowing Satan to do harmful things to Job. There is no question that God allows Satan to do bad things in our world..just look around. I believe it is wise for us to reflect when challenges happen in our own lives to see what God may be doing and why He may be allowing this to happen. What is He wanting me to learn from this? Might this ‘bad’ thing actually be good in the end? Could He be using this to bring me closer to Him? Yesterday, we celebrated the birth of His Son Jesus and about 30 years later God allowed Him to be crucified while His Mother Mary and friends watched. This was the worst thing that ever happened in the history of the world..the only truly fully innocent man who ever lived suffering and dying a horrific death on the cross. Yet, God used that terrible event by turning it into the greatest event in the history of the world by saving us from our sins and giving us eternal life through it when Jesus rose from the grave 3 days later. Could God be using this ‘bad’ thing in my life to show me His power, glory, and might in the end?
Reflecting on what God may doing in our lives and the world to bring us closer to Him can be a good thing. But in the book for Job we see Job’s friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar discussing why God may be letting bad things happen to Job. Specifically in Job 4 today we read about how Eliphaz says the innocent prosper. Some years ago in my younger years there was a TV show about celebrities and their lives where the introduction said, “You think you know..but you have no idea.” A past Bible Journal writer used to write from time to time that she had a friend and accountability partner who helped remind each other to “stay in your lane.” We must be careful when looking too much into why God is allowing certain things to happen in the lives of others. This can turn our hearts and minds into becoming judgmental or even cause us to gossip as we share why we think God may be allowing things to happen to them.
I can find myself guilty of my mind going in this direction and unfortunately sharing with others, too.
Check out Psalm 99 which is a great reminder God rules over all. We may not know why, but He does.
Let us give it all to and trust in Him both in our lives and in what He may be doing in the lives of others.
Psalm 99
1 The Lord reigns,
let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake.
2 Great is the Lord in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name—
he is holy.
4 The King is mighty, he loves justice—
you have established equity;
in Jacob you have done
what is just and right.
5 Exalt the Lord our God
and worship at his footstool;
he is holy.
