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In Order. God Sees You

January 7, 2017. Job 14 - 16.

 

These chapters, these words, this man’s suffering, the injustices, the confusion, and doubt – it continues to build. Job shares his thoughts and is buffeted by another friend. But it is not only Job. This week marked the death of a pastor friend of mine who died much too early, in my opinion. Tomorrow I will preach at his church and I will see his precious wife and some of his wonderful adult children.

Every New Year rips the scab off of my heart as I think; another year has passed and my brother remains missing, no news, no answers – gone; where? Why?

And a wonderful man, a father of two young girls and husband to a wonderful lady, he was my friend and helped to give life and direction to Reach Youth Global – cancer took him; I do not understand that either. I know pain and suffering are not exclusive to Job. Perhaps your grief, loneliness, and loss once again presses upon your chest and squeezes all hope, joy, and life from your heart.

There are no words, from anyone, that you want to hear. The question you first asked when the divorce was final, or as you stood at the graveside, or the first night in your home without your child – that question still remains unanswered. With only your emotions, you may feel as Job felt in 14:1, 23:

 1How frail is man, how few his days, how full of trouble!

22 For him there is only sorrow and pain. (TLB)

You do not want to hear any more words of “comfort”. In chapter 15 he told his friends that they were all miserable comforters. There are no words that anyone can say that can ease my pain when I think of my brother. But there is healing and restored hope if I can continue through chapter 16 as Job does and I begin to see beyond the limits of raw emotion.

Read carefully chapter 16, verses 7 – 17 as God begins to pull back the curtain to see the masterpiece that He is painting, Job is a preview, a teaser for God’s upcoming Mona Lisa. Do you see a picture of Christ in those verses? Read them again slowly and look for Him.

The moment you see Christ is the moment you will see the hope at the end of chapter 16 when Job says;

19 “Yet even now the witness to my innocence is there in heaven; my advocate is there on high. 20 My friends scoff at me, but I pour out my tears to God, (TLB)

Job realizes that his only hope is found in Heaven, where His true advocate pleads his case. Job is confident that God is just. Even when Job does not understand God’s ways, he continues to pour out his tears to God and trust Him.

God sees you! Christ is your Advocate, He understands seemingly unfair pain and suffering; He was crucified for the sin of others, no sin of His own. Trust God and His Son to put your life in order. God is working a masterpiece!

Previous Devotional - January 6