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READ: JOB 29:1
CHALLENGE: Incorporate God into Your Life
What do we want from God? What do we believe about God? I would like to look at some encouraging core beliefs experienced by Job. When someone known as the greatest man in the entire land speaks, I want to listen to his perspective. It’s so pure! His testimony of God is ultra powerful.
What draws me to this passage is the closeness that Job had with his Maker. All the good in his life was because of the walk he had with God. God is the starting point of all good. What’s your experience with your Heavenly Father?
- We Experience GOD’S PROTECTION
V2 – “How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
This is what Job had learned about God – He watched over me. There is no doubt in his mind as this was a reality he had experienced. The phrase “describes God’s special care for and protection of his own servant”. (NICOT). The word means to exercise great care over.
My daughter has been home with her dog. I took him off the leash back in the field and he sprinted toward the house. I was in muck boots but I had to run. I hate to admit that a little Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy is far faster than I am, but it was reality. Since I didn’t want the dog getting hit on the road the first time I walked it, I had to run! If the dog is in my care, that means I have a certain amount of responsibility.
Job was longing for when God watched over him. God was STILL very much aware of Job and his extraordinary difficulties. His pain was not because God was unaware or not paying attention. There were other factors at play and God falling off the throne was not one of them.
When Hagar was in bad straights and ran away from Sarah, she encountered God. She said, “I have now seen the one who sees me”. This then becomes one of the names of God based on her experience. God saw her – God helped her.
In today’s world, we have security cameras and that’s comforting for protecting our homes. We get notified when someone is there and that’s really cool! A mechanical eye is on us and we’re so happy. But can that camera see what’s coming from miles out? Days out? God can! When God is watching over us it’s incredible because He sees things before they happen! Let’s count on his protection.
Psalm 121:5-8 – The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
God watches over us and in a sense that includes His protection. God is called a banner, a fortress, a rock. When Ezra left the land of exile for Israel with many other people, he counted on God for protection. Ezra 8:22 – I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.”
God’s hand is on everyone who looks to him so they prayed and fasted asking God to protect them along the way. So there, incorporated into daily life, was the belief that God protects.
My grandfather bought us a rowboat and we would take it out crabbing along the Indian River in Delaware. He would tell us that he would watch us and make sure that we didn’t get into trouble, too far out, caught in tides, and the like. We were all of twelve and felt no need of supervision. Why would we need that?! We didn’t understand all that could happen and here’s another thing we certainly didn’t understand, we didn’t understand the sense of responsibility my grandfather felt. I totally get it now. You watch. You pay attention. You care.
I was reading a story about God protecting David from making the mistake of killing Nabal. It’s interesting to me how David viewed that encounter.
1 Samuel 25:32-33 – David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. 33 May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.
David clearly saw God as intervening and sending Abigail to meet David. God was watching. Saw the injustice. Saw David’s reaction. Knew what would happen and made sure Abigail was sent to intervene. “God has sent you”. You kept me from bloodshed. It’s interesting that David saw God as entrenched into His life so deeply that he saw another human’s action as God’s intervention.
Do you believe in God’s protection? Whether God helped you see another vehicle in a blind spot at just the right time. Or he put someone in touch with you at just the right time to keep you on the straight and narrow. God does not stop every speeding bullet but there are times when God has clearly protected us even from our own selves.
I would not be careless but it’s something that we should incorporate into our. May we experience that He knows every hair on your head! God, thanks for watching over us!
- We Experience GOD’S GUIDANCE
V3 – when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
God’s light was shining on his head. This is another indicator of blessing and success. God is shining His light so Job could see the path and know which way to go. God actively took his floodlight and poured light right on Job’s head so that he couldn’t miss the way. God will let you know which way to go.
How is light incorporated into your daily world? We have lights in our homes and our vehicles. We have flashlights, headlamps, and even a light on our phone. Light is a daily use part of our lives. God’s spiritual light illuminates our hearts and minds so that we can know His ways. May it be daily!
Psalm 119:105 – Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
There are times when I’ve asked for God’s guidance and a verse comes to mind. He guides through the Word and Holy Spirit. I’ve even relied on the good counsel of godly people when making decisions. He will always let you know the right way to go.
Job walked by the light and that’s what wisdom looks like. You have light and you make adjustments in accordance with what He shows you. If you can see and you still walk into things that hurt you, that’s moronic. It’s deliberate. And some of the biggest messes we make, were made by our own choosing. God made it clear we were on the wrong path but we did it anyway.
Would you rather have light or trip your way every single foot of the way in the dark? Always uncertain. Always in danger of falling and getting hurt. I want God’s illumination.
He says, don’t let unwholesome words come out of your mouth. Crude and putrid words should not fly out of our mouths, but only words that build others up. That’s light for your words. What if we lived by that? It would rule out the hard words and gossipy words. And keep this in mind, little children repeat what you say. Zeke is a repeater station.
Jesus said, let your yes be yes and your no be no. This means that we are completely honest. How important is truth telling? Good relationships are based on it. I like it when I can trust the people around us.
Morality, work ethic, love, marriage. There all kinds of light in the Bible. It’s a spiritual lighting store! We put a roof over two of our decks and we ran wiring so that we could have lights out there. And it’s great at night to turn on the lights and be able to see what you’re doing. It’s been a game changer! Both having a roof and having lighting that is over our heads illuminating.
God lights the way in fascinating ways.
God, thanks for your guidance!
- We Experience GOD’S FRIENDSHIP
V4-5 – Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house, 5 when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
God’s intimate friendship blessed my house. This is a word referring to a tight circle of counselors. The word is “extended to indicate a circle of trusted intimates who give their advice”. This is sweet communion and time with God. God’s intimate and deep friendship blessed Job’s house! Talk about incorporating God into your life. Job considered God a friend. God was in the inner circle who gave great counsel. He clearly felt close to God.
Abraham was the friend of God and God certainly let him know what His plans were. There is a close communion or a relationship with God that exists.
Psalm 25:14 – The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.
Now one thing is true about having visitors in your home. You will interact with them. How can you have people over and not talk? You show them around, listen, share things. Who is in your circle? Who do you talk to all the time? I talk to my wife and it’s great when your spouse is your bestie. I talk with my children and interact with my grandson. I’m used to them. My friends are the ones I share my life with and I’m familiar with what they are up to and they are familiar with what I am up to. We talk.
The question for us today is, where does God fit into the mix? Is He inner circle or an outsider? Do we talk to God? Are we praying? Do we consider Him when making decisions? These are such important considerations. Jesus said to go into a private spot and talk to God one to one. Do we? Where is that place where we spend time with Him?
One simple way to include him is by saying grace before you eat and thanking Him for His provision. At least that acknowledges that you have what you have because of Him. Thank Him for all His help and provision.
Friendship takes time and that’s one of the biggest things. We have to make the time for friends and to share life with them. He noted that God was still with Him. And when God is with us then blessings flow. This is the innate nature of God. Just like you want to bless your family, why wouldn’t God want to bless you as well?
God, thanks for your friendship!
- We Experience GOD’s PROVISION
V 6 – when my path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.
He walked in butter. That does not sound overly appealing to me actually. I would think it’s greasy and disgusting. However, Job sees it as a good thing. It’s his way of saying that his path was blessed. Cream was a good thing and he had lots of it. I remember that song called, “Walking on sunshine … and don’t it feel good”. It’s just a way to express the joy and happiness that was his.
The rock poured out streams of olive oil. Another important part of their culture. Out of a ROCK! And that would indicate that the blessing was definitely from God because streams don’t usually come from rocks. I don’t crave the oil but oil would be important in their day. I might want the rock to spit out orange juice or iced tea. Perhaps a rock that poured out streams of coffee with espresso! Streams of it! That speaks of abundance.
You see a church like Eagleville out in the country. Typically a church like this is not out in a farm field but here we are. And that points to God and what He is doing in our lives. God does things in abundance and it’s beautiful in and of itself. His forgiveness is out of the abundance of grace.
Psalm 23:5-6 – You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies. That’s an important concept in and of itself. I love it! Even when people are against us God is for us. Do you sense God’s blessing on your life? Is your cup overflowing? Do you experience abundant blessing on your life?
So profound is God’s provision that Jesus tells us not to worry about what we will eat or drink. He wants us to count on our Heavenly Dad. He takes care of the birds of the air and He’ll take care of us as well. What are your needs? Bring them to God! We shouldn’t feel badly because we come to God and ask for help – that’s normal. We count on each other too and we help each other out. That’s an amazing blessing.
We experience protection, guidance, friendship, and provision. Are you incorporating God into your life? Do we trust Him? Do we obey Him? Do we pray to Him? Do we count on Him. These are all things that are normal.
God, thanks for watching over us
God, thanks for your guidance
God, thanks for your friendship
God, thanks for your provision