The Patience
of Job
Today is the
first day of fall. Happy fall. Take time to enjoy the changing colours as we
watch the landscape the Lord has provided change before our eyes.
James
Chapter 5 Verse 11 in the Good News Bible reads:
(11) We call
them happy because they endured. You’ve heard of Job’s patience and you know
how the Lord provided for him in the end. For the Lord is full of mercy and
compassion.
To help you
understand the scripture I am using today it would be helpful if you take time
to go to your Bible and look up the book of James in the New Testament. It is
the 20th book and it is in titled; The Letter from James. It only has five
chapters so you may want to read all of it.
Today I want
to focus on chapter 5 verse 11 which I used in the opening. It says we - call
them happy - because they endured. The people being talked about here are the
prophets, however, the instructions throughout this delivery from James is for
all of us in the world today. He says he is writing to “all God’s people,
scattered over the whole world.” James uses this very line in the introduction
of the book. Using Job as an example we see how the Lord provides patience and
His reward when we are faithful to come to Him.
God‘s mercy and compassion will take us through our life being able to
endure all life puts in our path.
Reading the
introduction to the book of Job in the Old Testament, which it is the 18th book
of the Old Testament, you will have a fresh reminder of how his life went. It
was not easy to say the least. We did a Bible study on this a few years ago and
after studying the 42 chapters we realized how faithful Job was to God, and how
faithful God was to Job.
When I think
of Job and the patience he had during his struggles I can scarcely take it in.
He never lost his faith, but he did question God, and that is OK. Job suffered
greatly; when you read the story for yourself you’ll have a picture of his
life. You will be better able to understand the saying we often use – the
patience of Job. When we use that expression most of us never really consider
what it truly means. I am not so sure my patience level could ever begin to
come anywhere near close to Job’s patience. I do know that in times in my life;
when patience was needed to a great extent, I turned to prayer and still do. I
find prayer helps me to persevere even when I am not sure of the outcome. I
only know I have to put myself and my situation in God’s hands. Then God will
lovingly remind me of His word in Romans chapter 15 verse 5 (GNB)
(5) And may
God, the source of patience and encouragement, enable you to have the same
point of view among yourselves by following the example of Christ Jesus.
So when
trials, troubles and uncertainties come my way I turn to God. I ask Him to help
me be patient, and show me how to prevail in spite of whatever is happening in
my world.
God reminds
me that He is my source - of patience and encouragement – and if I will do as
Jesus does, I will have victory! Jesus waited on the Lord for instruction and
did only as His Father told Him to do. He knew God would not likely remove the
situation but rather God would see Him through the situation. God does the same
with us, He does not promise to fix everything in our life but He does promise
to never leave us or for sake us. We see this in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 5.
This tells me God will be with me and I must trust Him to give me the patience
and encouragement to persevere. Just as Job did! It may be a long struggle, a seemingly
endless wait but God will never fail us. Psalm 73 verse 26 in the Good News
Bible says (26) My mind and my body may grow weak, but God is my strength; he
is all I ever need.
So like Job,
when we face suffering, pain, sickness, doubt, fear and disappointment let’s
run to God. We can ask all the questions we need to ask and then wait on His
answers. He will lift us up, encourage and enlighten us with His word, He is
all we will ever need.
God restored
Job to his former condition, with even greater prosperity than before, we are
told in the introduction. We also read there, “Only Job had really sensed that
God is greater than traditional religion had depicted him.”
And the last
two verses of Job, verses 16 and 17 of chapter 42 tells us in the Good News
Bible:
(16) Job
lived 140 years after this, long enough to see his grandchildren and great-
grandchildren. (17)And then he died at a very great age.
This is a
very good ending to the story of the life of Job which teaches us much today.
Be patient
and then –
We shall be
called happy because we endured. God never fails and either do we - in Him!!
Praise His name!
The story of
Job is a great teaching to all who suffer. We all suffer in this world and
through our suffering we develop our ability to endure. We may go through some
devastating things in life that nearly break us, but the Lord will be with us
and He has promised us His power when we stay in His presence. The Lord is full
of mercy and compassion. We see this in the opening scripture we used today.
To quote
C.S. Lewis “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but
shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” This is from his book The Problem of Pain.
And another
great author, preacher and evangelist, Billy Graham, once said, “If our
suffering leads us to God, it has become a blessed and precious friend. Wow
this is a powerful statement.
Now perhaps
having the patience of Job is something we should all strive for, and thank the
Lord for His presence in our lives daily.
We often
say, patience is a virtue, however, perhaps; patience is a skill. We need to
learn to be patient and with the help of God -- we can.
Thank you
Lord.
Enjoy your
first week of fall. Have a beautiful day in the Lord.
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