“What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true. I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes” (Job 3: 25, 26, NLT).
Dear Heavenly Father, our ABBA, what would we do without You! Thank You for leading us every step of the way! I am so glad that You remember we are just dust! Please keep us close to Your side and when everyone else misunderstands us, help us to listen for Your voice! In the blessed, comforting Name of Jesus Christ, we gratefully pray! Amen!
Normally, I would be presenting God’s reply to Job today, but I realized that there was something of great importance in what Job said when responding to Eliphaz; and I believe it is worth looking at: “What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true.”
Isn’t this the way many of us live our lives? Waiting for the next shoe to drop? In the best days of our lives there is that hidden fear: “Things are going too good; something bad is lurking in my future.” So we almost never enjoy the abundant life that Jesus came to earth to give us (John 10:10b)!
As we looked at Job’s life before the enemy of our souls was allowed to touch it, we could conclude that he was the happiest man in the world! Ten well to do, loving children, who obviously loved each other, and enjoyed spending time together . Lots of cattle, sheep, camels. Respected by the people of his community. You name it, Job had it!
But as he admitted, I have no rest; only trouble comes.” Even before tragedy came to his life he had no rest; because he was always dreading, always fearful, that something awful was going to happen, until it did!
God knows us so well, that throughout His love letter to the human race, the Holy Bible, He sends us this good advice:
“It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:2, NKJV, emphasis supplied).
“[C]asting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
We can learn from Job’s life. When God blesses us, enjoy His blessings, to the full, a day at a time! Do not run before Him trying to peek behind the curtains of today, to see what tomorrow holds. We know that God holds tomorrow, and our faith in Him should give us peace! He does not show us tomorrow’s sorows, today, because He knows how much we can handle each day. He wants us to live today, in the strength He provides for us today.
“Your sandals shall be iron and bronze; As your days, so shall your strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25, emphasis supplied).
The best thing to do is what He asks us to do, today: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34, emphasis supplied).
Thank You ABBA! By Your grace, and in Your strength, we will obey!
Note: Some minor corrections were made to this devotional.