Job 42:1-6 "Then Job replied to the Lord: “I
know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my
plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too
wonderful for me to know. “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you,
and you shall
answer me.’ My ears
had heard of you but now
my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” "
One day, way back old,
old, days - satan asked to test (after some conversation with God). What
followed -- to say that Job was a man who had some major calamity in life is a
gigantic understatement. In ONE day, he lost his oxen, donkeys the servants who
took care of them to raiders; he lost his sheep and their servants to fire; he
lost his camels and their servants to other raiders; and, finally all his sons
and daughters to a whirlwind or a tornado! And YET, he stays humble and mourns
the losses, but then WORSHIPS the Lord!!! Wow.... just wow.
Next he's afflicted with
boils all over his body that itched and caused open sores and incredible pain.
His friends was even unrecognizable to his friends. This went on for some
time. Of course, his friends tried to comfort him and 'figure out' what was
wrong to cause of all this. I don't think I would've been as patient as Job was
with his friends constant babbling (well-meaning babbling, I suppose) and
looking for answers.
Finally, he breaks and
really let's loose... he starts out with sarcasm with his friends. Then, he
accuses God of making his life bitter. It seems that in chapter 27, he presumes
to know God's ways - how He deals with me and how He work, along with
His infinite power. Then, in chapter 29 - he shows his pride by saying how good
he was. In verses 7-25 (19 verses), he reference to HIMSELF 36 times!!! And
satan's downfall was filled with 'I's also... and not as many as far as what's
recorded.
I can imagine the
Lord looking at Job with his eyebrow up and saying, 'REALLY. You REALLY think
that you did all of that - that you were ALL that? Now, what part do you think I
played in the abundance and grace that was on your life previous to all of
this?' Basically, when Job FINALLY finishes his rant, the Lord speaks (Job 38
into 42.... and He shows Job what he just said. Now, Luke 6:45 says "For the
mouth speaks what the heart is full of." The Lord shows Job his heart and what
it was full of.
When it was presented to
him by the Lord Himself, he came under conviction (not condemnation - which the
enemy tries to put on us). Conviction leads us to do something about whatever
was just shown us. First, to ask forgiveness - then to repent (to totally do a
180). The Lord spoke, Job LISTENED, and then he answered by humbling himself
(causing himself to come back under the Lord's authority and rule) and repents
in dust and ashes. He saw his own unworthiness and sinfulness compared to a
holy and righteous God. Maybe the dust signified that he felt lower than the
dust... and the ashes meant maybe meant he saw his own humanness next to the
Awesome, Incomparable God of the Universe. Regardless of what these meant, this
was a HEART-FELT repentance. There was sorrow and grief involved. I'm sure
there were tears when he realized who/what he had become. Not tears of
self-pity, but tears of a sorrowful heart that knew he was holy ground and that
only God was all-together holy and to be revered. There was a holy reverence
for God. Job vacated the throne of his own heart and was asking God to take
that place of honor inside.
I believe the Lord was
right beside him the whole time he was in that grief and repentance, just as he
has been/is/will be with us when we realize(d) the extent to which we have
fallen and truly from the heart repent and turn from our
sin.
Then He blesses us....
maybe not with material possessions (but maybe so) - but for sure with peace,
joy, that fresh and cleanness inside and out. We can't help but praise Him...
this is what He wants. Relationship restored. He wants his son - His daughter
to come back home so He can gather them up in His arms and hold them close to
His heart.
I know that's where I want
to be... how about you?
Undo - Rush of
Fools
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