20May2014 - A Yielded Life

How you doin?  As I said before, Stacey and I are reading the NIV Chronological Bible.  On Sun 5/18 we read Genesis 11 and 1 Chronicles 17-27 because they went together chronologically.  Today the first chapter in Job.  Again this is in chronological order.  Life is incredibly busy.  I look at my schedule and my list of things to do and feel overwhelmed.  I'm trying to find balance in prioritizing and organizing.  So much stuff going on.  Memorial Day weekend at work will be crazy and requiring me to work on Sunday.  Then the Doug Addison conference which will require me to be off for two days.  Plus we have #1 and #2.  Those two keep us busier then anything.  We're praying for peace and a sound mind.  We're praying for awareness of His Presence.  God is so good.

I've always heard that the story of Job was about patience.  When I read it in our first read through I thought it was more about perseverance.  Job didn't seem very patient to me, but he did seem to have a tremendous amount of perseverance.  Today I saw chapter 1 as an example of spiritual warfare or the ridiculous battle that goes on between God and Satan.  I also noticed how Job was extraordinarily yielded to God.  The part that fascinates me the most is verses 6-12, "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and ^[b]Satan also came among them. ⁷ TheLord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” ⁸ The Lord said to Satan, “Have you^[c]considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man,^[d]fearing God and turning away from evil.” ⁹ Then Satan answered the ^[e]Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? ¹⁰ Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹ But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” ¹² Then the Lordsaid to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your ^[f]power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord."  The first thing is that Satan is among a group of angels that were presenting themselves to God.  I thought that Satan was cast out of heaven.  Apparently he has access to heaven.  God seems to take it all in stride and strikes up a conversation with him.  There must be tons more for me to learn about this exchange and dialog.  God asks Satan where he came from and Satan replies casually from roaming around and walking on the earth.  Are you for real.  Then God offers up Job as though to rub Satan's nose in His victory.  That part I like.  I'm not sure if I understand any of this Scripture.  I do find it fascinating.  I look so forward to the day I have a better understanding of this Scripture.

The chapter goes on and messengers tell Job that he basically lost everything he has, including his children.  He response by worshiping God.  Verses 20-22, "Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. ²¹ He said,

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

²² Through all this Job did not sin nor did he ^[m]blame God."  Now that is an example of a surrendered life.  That's an example of someone who has denied their "self".  I often refer to tough questions.  What makes a questions tough is either I don't know the answer or I'm not giving the desired answer.  So when I read this story, I ask myself a very tough question, "would I respond like Job?".  I can't say that I would.  I would like to, but I'm not sure if I would.  I like being tested and challenged.  I like tough questions, which lead to refining fires.  I do have the desire to have that kind of a yielded life.  To have that kind of a relationship with Him.  Where things of this world don't matter.  Ask yourself tough questions today.