Daily Devotionals

Read Job 42:1-17

JOB

I find at least two enduring truths for us as I think through these closing scenes in Job's story. First, forgiveness is worth asking for. If there's something that has come between you and your heavenly Father, why wait at a distance? Come. Talk openly with Him. He loves to hear the unguarded confessions of His children. He takes delight in our humble admission of wrong. Just tell Him. As we have seen, He will never turn you away. Forgiveness is worth the asking.

Read Job 42:1-11

JOB

Read Job 42:1-11

JOB

Take special notice of Job's words. He does not reply, "I've got an argument here." On the contrary, He says, "I retract and repent." There's no divine force. There's no threatening rebuke from God. "Job, if you don't get down on your knees and beg for mercy from Me, I'm going to finish you off!"

Read Job 42:1-11

JOB

Read Job 42:1-11

JOB

Did you miss something? If you take the time to read the biblical account, you'll see that God gives Job the same title four times: "My servant" (Job 42:7-8). What an honourable title. He had it before the suffering began (Job 1:8), and he has it still. Job's heroic endurance resulted in his keeping the same title in God's estimation. Talk about justice rolling down. Job must have been deeply gratified to hear these words spoken in the ears of those who had spent so many days putting him down: "My servant Job has spoken what is right."

Read Job 42:1-6

JOB

That's what makes the climax of Job's life so satisfying. This dear man, who never deserved the suffering he endured, is dealt with justly. And those who made his life so miserable weren't overlooked either. The God of justice finally steps up, bringing great rewards and restoration to the righteous, and strong discipline on the unrighteous.

Read Job 42:1-6

JOB

"I've come to the end of my understanding, and I leave it at that. My very existence is Yours, O God. It's Yours to unravel the mystery, to track the labyrinthine ways, to handle the profound, to know the reasons behind the inexplicable events of my life." In full surrender, Job backs off and bows down.

Read Job 40:1-5

JOB

Job's response prompts me to think of what this says to our 21st-century world. What needed messages it offers to our times!

The first: If God's ways are higher than mine, then I bow before Him in submission. The result of that attitude is true humility. Submission to the Father's will is the mark of genuine humility. And all of us could use a huge dose of that. How unusual to find a humble spirit in our day, especially among the competent, the highly intelligent, the successful.

Read Job 40:1-5

JOB

If you take the time to analyze those words, you'll see that Job has three responses. The first is a response of humility. The second is a response of relief. And the third is a response of surrender. That's all God wanted to hear. And what an important change for Job! Without realizing it, he had become this independent, determined, self-assured apologist defending himself. Without saying so, he'd begun to appear as if he had his arms around the providence of God.

Isaiah 33:22

"For the Lord is our judge,
    the Lord is our lawgiver,
the Lord is our king;
    it is he who will save us." (NIV)

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