JOB 42

Then Job answered the Lord and said:

2 “I know that you can do all things,
    and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore, I have uttered what I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 ‘Hear, and I will speak;
    I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
    but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I despise myself,
    and repent[a] in dust and ashes.”

THE FIRST TIME

One of my favourite songs is the first time by Mercy me. It sort of sums up this passage.

When we meet Job in chapter 1, he seems like a mature believer, but through his suffering, he can have his eyes opened to the true majesty and power of God.

You know,  we can know all about God in theory, in head knowledge, but we have to encounter him dynamically and directly.

Could Job of come to this realisation if he hadn’t gone through all he had been through, probably not. To teach us and stretch us, God has to put us through the fire, not to hurt us, but to burn off all the dross and unwanted things from our lives.

Job felt like many new believers do, a stunning realisation of God’s majesty and power, a freshness and joy that no one could contain.

Look at what it made him do; Come to a realisation that he was nothing and God was everything, come to a place of repentance, an ability to forgive the three loudmouths, his so called friends.

What did God do?. He gave him twice as much.

May you and I come to not just know God in the hearing of the ear, but may our eyes see the glory, beauty and majesty of God.

Here are the words to the song;

Day after day
I try to explain You
Like I can contain You in so many words
You are the ocean
And I’m on the shoreline
Thinking I know you like You could be learned 

It’s so amazing that You’d ever save me

I thought I knew Your face
I thought I tasted grace
But I had never felt anything close to this
Just when I’d seen it all
New mercy breaks the dawn
With my eyes open wide
It feels like the first time, first time
It feels like the first time, first time

This sums up Job’s words and sum up my thoughts, God is so much bigger than me. He is the ocean and I’m on the shoreline.

Job thought he had tasted grace, but he had never come face to face with the living God.

We need to meet with God, not just know Him in theory, but to meet him in person through constant communion and quietness.

May you and I have that deep communion, He desires it, but DO WE?

GOD BLESS YOU

KEITH