Job Encouraged Himself in His Faith.

Posted bySteven WalesPosted inAdversity, God is GoodTags:, ,

Job is famous for his patience. James writes, “You have heard of the patience of Job” 5:11. A better translation of “patience” is the archaic word, “longsuffering.” The man endures.  Job is also a gifted administrator, running a massive farming and trading enterprise. He is RICH. Moreover, he is godly, wise, and a devoted father and servant of God. 

But I also give him credit for scholarship, for doing the hard work of knowing God, studying, and gaining great insights. Why? Because his understanding of faith and salvation is generations ahead of its time. He lived long before Moses, probably during the time of Abraham. That means he lived before there were any written scriptures.  Yet he understood that God would redeem his life and bring him back through the resurrection of his body. Many Christians today don’t even know that. (The New Testament describes in detail that we will receive our bodies back in the resurrection, for example: “We shall be [united with Him] in the likeness of His resurrection” Romans 6:5.)

There was no written scripture available to Job, but apparently a thriving oral tradition. Even Genesis was not yet written down. In fact, Job’s book is the oldest book in the Bible. Yet, this wealthy businessman knows what the most distant hours of the future hold. Not only that, he hangs onto his faith though he admits that he’s hurting so bad he wants to die.

He FIGHTS for his faith, encouraging himself:

“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end, HE will stand upon the earth, and though my skin be destroyed [in the grave] yet in my flesh, I will SEE GOD. With these two eyes I shall see Him, I and not another. How my heart yearns for that day” 19:25-27.

Job had amazing faith in the midst of the most devastating losses. 

Learn the skill of encouraging yourself. When you are sad and hurting, do like Job: talk to God honestly about your pain. Then talk to God—and yourself—about your faith, and about how great He is, in spite of your hurts. Encourage yourself with scripture. “I KNOW that my Redeemer liveth!” Amen!

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Published by Steven Wales

Dad's Daily Devotional began as text messages to my family. I wanted my teenagers to know their father was reading the Bible. But they were at school by then. Initially, I sent them a favorite verse or an insight based on what I read each day. That grew into drafting a devotional readng which I would send them via text. I work as an attorney and an adjunct professor, and recently wrote a book called HOW TO MAKE A'S.

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