Living The Confidence of Job

Job found himself in a hopeless situation. His life had been changed forever because of the suffering he encountered. His friends, and family that remained, were blaming him for everything. His wife told him to just, “curse God and die” (Job 2:9). He was a very sick man fighting massive, painful boils, that almost brought him to death. And he suffered with extreme depression that took his mind to the depth of darkness. Everywhere he looked, he saw himself isolated, hurting, and forsaken.
 
Maybe today you find yourself relating with Job. Maybe you are struggling with some heavy problems that have you really pleading with God, or even questioning your sanity.
 
Even as darkness, depression, despair, and disillusionment set into job’s life, he apparently was so well ground in God that there was always a thread of hope running through his conscience. You are probably thinking, “what was that thread that gave him hope?” Great question!
 
Job 19:23-26 records for us some of the most powerful words written in Scripture. These words were bedrock truth for his confidence, and transforming to his courage in spite of his circumstances. These words that Job believed, and held tightly onto, worked for Job in the deepest darkness, and when he faced what he thought was the dead-end of life. And I’ve got great news – they work for us as believers in Christ.
 
And here are his words…
 
“Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! That they were engraved on a rock, with an iron pen and lead, forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth…this I know, that in my flesh, I shall see God” (Job 19:23-26).
 
For Job, he had a grain of hope to cling onto during his pain and his problems because he knew that there was a God! Keep in mind that Job lived on earth just after the Tower of Babel incident, and just before Abraham, (which makes the Book of Job the oldest book in the Bible) and he saw a society that had forsaken God, and rebelled against God. I believe this made a huge impact on Job’s mind and he was determined to not forsake God.
 
I feel so sorry for atheists who face life with absolutely no hope!
 
Secondly, Job had a strain of hope to cling onto during his pain and his problems because he knew that God was his living Redeemer! That says it all, doesn’t it?
 
He knew that he served a living, vibrant God who was with him during his pain and problems! He knew he worshiped a powerful, caring God, who in the end of life was able to redeem his life out of all his problems! This thought alone was enough to carry him through the troubled waters that were all around him.
 
For job and everyone of us, there is hope in our everyday and there is hope for our eternity, all because Jesus Christ is our living Redeemer!
 
On Sunday, it was so uplifting to hear everyone sing these words with the confidence of Job, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, because He lives, all fear is gone, because I know, I know, He holds the future, life is worth the living just because He lives!”
 
God bless you,
 
Pastor Dave