He Knows the Way That I Take

Job 23:1-7 ESV

 

“Then Job answered and said:

 

“’Today also my complaint is bitter;

    my hand is heavy on account of my groaning.

Oh, that I knew where I might find him,

    that I might come even to his seat!

I would lay my case before him

    and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would know what he would answer me

    and understand what he would say to me.

Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?

    No; he would pay attention to me.

There an upright man could argue with him,

    and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.’”

 

Job was a righteous man in God’s sight. And God had blessed him with much. But God presented Job to Satan for his consideration, and he gave Satan permission to cause Job much suffering. Thus, Job lost his servants, his animals, and his children all in a single day.

 

And Job said, “’Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’

 

“In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.” Job 1:21-22

 

Then the Lord gave Satan permission to afflict Job on his body as long as he spared Job’s life. So, Satan struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

 

Then Job’s 3 friends came to Job to comfort him and to show him sympathy. They sat with him in silence for 7 days and nights. And then Job spoke, regretting that he had even been born, his suffering was so great. And then Job’s friends began to speak, yet they assumed that Job’s suffering was a result of some sin in his life, and thus they sought to get him to confess.

 

But Job knew that he had not sinned against God. He knew that this suffering was not the result of wrongdoing on his part. So, he felt confident that if he presented his case before the Lord that the Lord would hear him, not contend with him, for Job knew he was upright in heart and that God would acquit him of any wrongdoing.

 

Job 23:8-12 ESV

 

“Behold, I go forward, but he is not there,

    and backward, but I do not perceive him;

on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him;

    he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him.

But he knows the way that I take;

    when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.

My foot has held fast to his steps;

    I have kept his way and have not turned aside.

I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;

    I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.”

 

Have you ever faced a trial so severe in your life that you couldn’t feel God’s presence? And it seemed as though he was silent? And even though you prayed and you sought God for answers, you heard nothing? I have been there, and that is a horrible feeling.

 

So, you have to assure yourself of what you know to be true. You know you can’t go by your feelings, but that you have to rely on the truth you know even when your feelings try to tell you the opposite. For, Satan will use these opportunities to try to get us to doubt God.

 

It is in these times especially that we need to put on that armor of God and fight off Satan’s lies, which he whispers in our ears, and with the sword of the Spirit which is the word of truth. Even if our emotions aren’t there, we must declare the truth we know so that we are not overtaken by the lies.

 

We must remain confident that God is still in control, that he knows who we are, and that he knows the path that we take. And if we have confidence in knowing that we have not departed from his commandments, and that we have held fast to his ways and to his truth, we can assure ourselves that, when God has tried us, that we will come out shining like gold.

 

But this is not out of pride. This is not out of self-righteousness. This is not with an attitude that we think we are better than others. It is just not giving Satan the pleasure of taking us down with his lies and his false accusations. If we are guilty, that is different. But if we are confident before God of our innocence, then we need to trust that the Lord will one day vindicate us.

 

Job 23:13-14 ESV

 

“But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back?

    What he desires, that he does.

For he will complete what he appoints for me,

    and many such things are in his mind.”

 

No matter what we go through in this life, we must believe always in the sovereignty of God over all that he has made. God has a purpose for everything that he does, and for everything that he allows. So, we need to trust him that he knows best, and we must commit our lives into his capable hands.

 

I Will Lift My Eyes  

 

An Original Work / December 12, 2012

Based off Psalms 121-125

 

I will lift my eyes to my Lord Most High.

My help comes from Him, who saved me from sin.

He will not let your foot slip, and He who watches will not sleep.

Our Lord watches over you, and your life He will keep.

I will lift my eyes to my Lord Most High.

My help comes from Him, who saved me from sin.

I give thanks to Him.

 

I will lift my eyes to my God in heav’n.

I look to the Lord. My sins, He’s forgiv’n.

Because of His great love for us, He made us alive with Christ.

Through the kindness of our Savior, He gave us new life.

I will lift my eyes to my God in heav’n.

I look to the Lord. My sins, He’s forgiv’n;

My home, now in heav’n.

 

Praise be to the Lord, who is on our side.

Our help found in Him. He gives peace within.

Those who trust will ne’er be shaken. God will supply all we need.

Our Lord has done great things for us. He’s our friend, indeed!

Praise be to the Lord, who is on our side.

Our help found in Him. He gives peace within.

I can count on Him.

 

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