A Devotional Thought From Job 23:8-17
Job 23:8–17
8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there;
And backward, but I cannot perceive him:
9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him:
He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
10 But he knoweth the way that I take:
When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 My foot hath held his steps,
His way have I kept, and not declined.
12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips;
I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him?
And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
14 For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me:
And many such things are with him.
15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence:
When I consider, I am afraid of him.
16 For God maketh my heart soft,
And the Almighty troubleth me:
17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness,
Neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.
The flash of lightning brightened the room just before the power went out. There was a loud clap of thunder and then total darkness. The child began to cry for her father whom she couldn’t see. His voice brought a calming affect upon her as he gently called out her name and assured her that all is well. “But where are you Daddy?” she said with a trembling voice. “You are ok honey, I’m here”
She reached out her little hands to feel for him but only touched empty space. She said, “Father, I can’t feel you”, “I cant see you!”
Then he said it, the words that finally brought comfort to her frightened heart, “But I can see you!”
I visualized that scenario as I read the words of Job.
Job 23:8-9 8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there;
And backward, but I cannot perceive him: 9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him:He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
Like the little child from my imagination Job says that he can’t see the Lord ahead or behind him, neither to the left or to the right. It is hard for us to comprehend the darkness that must have surrounded this poor man’s soul. Almost as fast as a flash of lightning Job had lost his wealth and his health, his children had all perished and his marriage was heavily strained. To literally add insult to injury his friends falsely accuse him of wrongdoing rather than offering words of encouragement and comfort. Job does find relief in knowing three things.
1. Job finds Comfort in Knowing that Contrary to His Perception, God Is Working
Read verse 9 again, now did you catch it?
Job 23:9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him:He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
The suffering old testament saint states that he can’t behold him on the left but he is still working.
Job understands by faith that although God is concealed he is still consistently busy.
Dear friend, please don’t forget this truth, just because God is invisible that doesn’t mean that he is inactive.
2. Job Find Comfort In Knowing That Though He Could Not See God, God Saw Him!
Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
God is not an inattentive parent, he watches his children with loving attention and is aware of every one of their movements.
3. Job Finds Comfort In Knowing That God Will Certainly Make Him Glow Like Polished Gold At The End Of His Trial
Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
The faith of Job was not misplaced; the end of the book tells us that Job came out of his trial shining bright and richly blessed.
What does this mean to you? If you have known the saving power of Christ then you can rest assured in this knowledge, God is there, he is aware and he is actively involved for his glory and your good!
My 2021 Bible Reading Plan
March 30, 2021
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