Blogging through the Bible: Job 11-15

This week was one that tested my faith and allowed me to determine whether or not I have truly grown spiritually or not. I am glad to report that I am indeed growing and no matter how much I try to predict how God will answer my prayer, I am NEVER right. "The deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?"-there is no way that I can ever be able to do that, so from here on out, I have decided to quit trying and to just trust in knowing that His ways are better than mine, His thoughts are better than mine and accept that He knows what's best for me; even though I may believe I do. 

Let's get into this week's assigned reading: Job 11-15. Once again I will be sharing my observations (based on the SOAK method) as I read the assigned texts and I encourage you to share your thoughts and any observations or applications you may have noted down in your Bible Study Journal this week. 

Job 11

Here we find Zophar responding to Job in not such a nice way. Basically Zophar tells Job that there is no way he is as righteous as he claims to be because his current condition and the extension of his lost says otherwise. He flat out tells him, that he is being punished by God (Job 11:5), because it is God who knows all men, be they just or unjust and it is He who sees all evil and good and they do not go unnoticed or unrewarded. 

Zophar then pleads with Job (Job 11:13) to admit his wrong-confess to God-and be forgiven with the hope that if he died he would rest safely. 

Discouraging isn't it? After an ear full of that, I may have started to question my life and to try to search my memory for the moment when I may have wronged God that would warrant such punishment. However Job doesn't do that; as we will see in chapter 12. 

Never in my life had I imagined my family and I would be victims of a robbery at our home. It was during a Christmas vacation and my brother and I had returned home to visit our parents and family. Long story short, we were awakened by a masked intruder waving a kitchen knife who had made us believe (as we were in the same bedroom) that our parents were dead. At that moment my mind began to race and my brother turned to me and said "do as he requests and just pray". The intruder was telling me to turn on my stomach, not to look at him. I fought everything inside of me that wanted to attack him, rested my head on my pillow and began to pray. I prayed and told God that He had said "there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways (Psalm 91:11)" and for those angels that were camping around our house to step in and to work and I also prayed for peace. I had started to cry as well not knowing whether or not my parents were safe. My prayer was interrupted when I heard my mother's voice which caught the attention of the intruder as he was packing up my brother's backpack with our computers and other electronics.

Little did Jon and I know that my father had prayed and had devised a plan to get the man out of our home.

God gives us peace in our darkest moments and through prayer, I have always found hope in these times.

Job 12:

Don't you just LOVE Job's responses to these friends of his? Chapter 12 Job does not sit quietly when his friends decide to give their opinions about his situation. 

Job makes it clear to Zophar and to anyone else who may be having doubts about his character that he is far from incompetent and fully aware of God's capabilities which he lists starting in verse 10-25. 

As sinful as the world is, nature speaks highly of the power of God and of His creative design. Have you ever went to the zoo and just sat and watched the animals? or  enjoyed the fragrance of a flower or your harvest from the garden? These things all serve as reminders to make us aware of the kindness, presence and goodness of God. Isn't this just encouraging? 

When I sit and observe nature it is then that I truly feel the presence of God versus when I am going about my day with the countless distractions and things to do. 

Job 13:

Is where Job continues with his response to his friends.

This week's discussion question deals with something I mentioned in a previous post regarding the boldness of the questions and accusations made by Job's friends. Here we see Zophar questioning Job's walk with God. Sometimes we are faced with such situations where others are confused about why we still serve God when we are faced with difficult moments. What they cannot understand is the loyalty we have regardless of the situations.

It is hard to explain to someone the power of God if they have never acknowledged His hand in directing their path or granting them protection through the night, as they would consider it something that is just suppose to happen-naturally; so what works for me is allowing my life to speak volumes about God's power and to do my best to encourage persons to keep trusting in God always.

Job 14:

There is always comfort in knowing that things will get better and that despite the seasons of difficulty endured on this earth, there shall be countless seasons of joy, not just here but also in heaven as well. 

I find comfort in knowing that this earth is not the end, but how we live here is the beginning of unspeakable joy. 

Job 15:

I'd like to hear your thoughts on this. Place yourself in Job's situation; surrounded by friends who you considered highly and here they are trying to pick their brain to figure out where in your journey with God you went wrong. How would you address them? Have you encountered such an experience? How did you handle it? 

Thank you for joining me this week. It is always a pleasure to share my thoughts and to read your comments, so be sure to continue leaving them. As a new week approaches may the upcoming chapters allow for another opportunity where God can speak to us so that we can be more like Him and learn of His character. If you can be sure to check out womenlivingwell.org for the upcoming discussion questions.