But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I shall come out like gold. My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured in my bosom the words of his mouth. Job 23: 10-12, NRSV.
Merciful God and Father, it gives us a sense of well-being to know that You are always there when we need You, because You know the way that we take. As we study Your Word, please help us to treasure them in our hearts. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
It would be so encouraging if we could always keep in mind the fact that God knows what we will do, when we are faced with difficulties, before we do it. Whenever we are tested, God will be there to see that the temperature is just right! The fire of affliction will never be too hot. The waters of the river will not be too cold. The pressure of the floods will not be too forceful. God Himself, will see to that!
But is it absolutely necessary for temperature to be applied to the life of the Christian? Do we always have to pass through the fire, or the rivers, or the floods? I believe it all depends on what God is trying to do for us, and, or, for others. Our Scripture for today is taken from the story of Job. Job is desperately trying to get a glimpse of God. If only he could have an audience with the Almighty everything would be straightened out. God would vindicate him, and his friends would know that he was innocent after all. “No matter where I go, I cannot find God. Whether I go backward or forward, I cannot find Him. Try as I may, I am not able to see Him.” This was Job’s dilemma. I believe that it would have represented a dilemma for most of us! No one likes to engage in a discussion with someone he or she cannot see, or at least communicate with. The good news is, that even though Job could not see God. God never lost sight of Job! Of that, Job was sure! I believe that Job’s experience, has many features from which we can learn valuable lessons. Some of these features are:
“But he knows the way that I take.” After Job was through expressing his inability to find God, he hastened to clarify, “But He knows where to find me! He knows where I walk and how I walk.” It is a wonderful experience to have such a relationship with the Lord, that you are aware that He knows all about you.
“When he has tested me, I shall come out like gold.” Sometimes the heat is necessary to burn off the dross in our characters. If the beauty of Jesus is to be seen in us, our characters must be purged from everything that is unlike Him, that people observing us, will be moved to glorify our Father in heaven!
“My foot has held fast to his steps.” 1 John 2: 6 advises us to “walk as He walked, if we profess to be in Him. I believe that an effective way of holding fast to His steps is by going to those places where Jesus would go, and doing those things that He would do.
“I have kept his way and have not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of his lips.” How wonderful it is to be able to say that we have not turned aside, nor departed from the teachings of the Lord! We have nothing to lose and everything to gain, by being faithful to His teachings.
“I have treasured in my bosom the words of his mouth.” This is perhaps the most powerful way to keep from sinning against God – by internalizing His words. Psalm 119: 9-11, confirms this thought. May God help us to love His Word, and to order our lives, in accordance with it.