“But if I go to the east, He is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find Him. When He is at work in the north, I do not see Him; when He turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him. But HE KNOWS THE WAY THAT I TAKE; when He has TESTED ME, I will COME FORTH AS GOLD. My feet have CLOSELY FOLLOWED His steps; I have KEPT TO HIS WAY without turning aside. I have NOT DEPARTED from the commands of His lips; I have TREASURED THE WORDS OF HIS MOUTH more than my daily bread.” (Job 23:8-12)
There is one thing we know for certain about Job, he VERY SINCERELY LOVED THE LORD. He was keeping the greatest commandment Jesus talked about, before He ever spoke of it, “Love the Lord your God with all your HEART, SOUL and with all your MIND.” (Matt. 22:37)
JOB FAITHFULLY PRACTICED THESE THINGS:
- MY FEET HAVE CLOSELY FOLLOWED HIS STEPS: Job was, somehow in his suffering, able to say that. I hope that we could say the same, if we were suffering like that. If we were tried with great bodily pain and depression of spirit, could we say, through divine grace, “I have closely followed His steps.”
- I HAVE KEPT TO HIS WAY WITHOUT TURNING ASIDE: “If only I knew where to find Him…” (Job 23:3) Even though Job was having difficulty finding God, “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and FIND ME, WHEN YOU SEARCH FOR ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART.” (Jer. 29:12-13)
- HAVE NOT DEPARTED FROM HIS COMMANDS: Job had been lying in continuous misery for months with open sores all over his body. During this time he bore the grief of seven dead sons and three dead daughters. All of his wealth had vanished in one afternoon. He had become repulsive to his wife, loathsome to his brothers, and even little children despised him as he lay on the ash heap outside of town. In all of this, Job never turned away from God.
- I HAVE TREASURED THE WORDS OF HIS MOUTH: No matter how much suffering he experienced, or how much complaining Job did about his suffering, he remained FAITHFUL TO GOD AND TREASURED HIS WORD.
Remember what God Said: “…the LORD said to Eliphaz, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the TRUTH ABOUT ME, AS MY SERVANT JOB HAS…” (Job 42:7)
-Bill Stockham