Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. – John 14:19
Written about in “Fixer Upper”, Job believes life is not fair and there is only death to look forward to. Even though life is tough at times, we have the advantage today in knowing what Christ has done on the cross. We know that this life on earth is not all there is and there’s another one prepared for us which is eternal.
Take inspiration from today’s song My Jesus by Anne Wilson and keep the faith because Jesus makes a Way where there is no way.
The place I live was hit by a devastating tornado in 1953. The downtown part of Waco Texas was just about destroyed and pretty much was dead for many years. Then growth over the years started toward the lake with malls and shops rebuilding about three to five miles to the west. My local church relocated to the west of downtown at that time too.
In recent years, the area between downtown and Baylor University has been booming as shown in the photo above. New apartment buildings, restaurants, hotels, and businesses are locating in that area. There are several catalyst for this new growth but one of the biggest is the Silos at Magnolia that Chip and Joanna Gaines from the show “Fixer Upper” transformed. They renovated the Silos into shops and boutique stores. Fans of the show from around the world travel to Waco, stay in its hotels, and eat at their restaurants.
The journey through the book of Job continues and there are many similarities between the life of Job and the city of Waco after the devastating tornado. Job was trying to deal with the ruin in his life. He is going through anguish and misery after losing his children, his livestock, and his property. Then, he is afflicted with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head (Job 3:7). At this point of our study, three friends have given him advice and now in today’s passage, Job responds to that advice.
In Job 14 we note his mood of doom and gloom that molds his thoughts about God. Job believes life is not fair and there is only death to look forward to. He tells a parable of a tree that has been cut down. He says at least there is hope for the tree. When it is cut down, it will sprout again with new shoots. The roots are alive and with water, it will bud and grow shoots like a plant (v. 7-9). On the other hand, a person will breathe one last time and be no more.
So Job has a question in verse 14: If someone dies, will they live again? To answer Job’s question, we have the advantage of knowing about Jesus. We can have faith in life after death that is beyond what we can now imagine. Life is tough at times but we know what Christ has done on the cross. We know that this life on earth is not all there is and there’s another one prepared for us which is eternal.
So a lesson for us today is to keep going in faith, keep asking, and never give up during fragile times. It is during these times that life may seem to be too much to handle and the result is brokenness. That’s when we have to get back to the basics and gain confidence because God can get us through it all.
Remember that God loved us so much that He gave us His only Son. So let us start each day in His Word to build up our faith and keep looking forward to the kingdom of God rather than the things of this world.
Let’s have faith by being anchored to God’s principles in His Word. Hold on to hope for better days ahead. Love our neighbor as ourselves and see the goodness in others. God has every good thing in mind for the future so let’s be of good cheer because we can count on Jesus. Remember … He’s fixed it all and faith in Jesus will lead to victory in the end.
This day with You Lord, we are anchored to Your principles. Life brings storms but we can make it through because of You Lord. The solid principles of faith and perseverance provide us all with what we need towards a victorious finish. The death on the cross fixed it all so we can even overcome death. Amen.
Today’s poem posted at my other blog Step Ahead is inspired by the post “Bridge to Eternity” is about the new covenant teaching of Jesus towards the new Way. This teaching provides a means to keep our perspective clear as we embrace the will of God and passionately fulfill the purpose He has given us.
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. - John 16:33
A prescription to frustration as discussed in “Physician for the Soul” is taking in God’s Word, praying, and listening to the Spirit. This medication for the soul will provide more peace and joy in your life.
Worry affects our health in a bad way but as the song Every Good Thing by The Afters points out, there is no need for worry because God has every good thing in store for us so be of good cheer.
Our mind is in a constant battle with negative thoughts and attitudes of this world that tear us down but the Word of God penetrates our soul so healing can begin. This day with God, let us step ahead into another passage of the Word as we seek to build up our mind, body, and spirit.
Reading today in Job 12-13, Job is frustrated with his friends because they are giving advice that he already knows. He feels his friends do not respect him and look down on him. He wants them to listen and show some sympathy but they only see his suffering and believe it is his fault for his situation. He thinks their life of comfort explains their lack of sympathy.
A prescription for frustration is taking in God’s Word, praying, and listening to the Holy Spirit. If we can implement these activities into our daily routine, we build up an immunity to frustration. In a way, these activities are like daily exercises that build muscles of faith which stay strong and continue to build forever to help in times of worry or anger.
A good example to follow from today’s passage is the courageous assurance that Job had. He felt assured that he would be delivered from his circumstances. We can be assured too because the Physician of our soul knows what our basic needs are now and into eternity. Unlike our physical body, an added benefit of building up our faith is that it stays with us forever and never breaks down like the muscles of the physical body.
Lord, You are the physician of our soul. Your Word fills us with thoughts of peace and joy. We read Your Word on a regular basis, pray for a healthy spirit, and know that grace will enter in to medicate our soul. Amen.
This Day With God - A Spiritual Journey 