Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Never forsaken, never abandoned.”
Our Bible verse for today: “Where were you when I established the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.” Job 38:4 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Don’t lose sight of God.”
As Job was going through his extended time of trials, he lost sight of God. He forgot who God is and what He is like. As his troubles multiplied and as his suffering continued, Job not only failed to remember God’s past faithfulness but worse, he gradually became less and less aware of God’s presence with him in the moment.
So in Job chapters 38-41 God shows up in a big way and helps to clarify Job’s perspective for him. God reminds Job that He is the Creator of all there is, including the earth (38:4). God affirms for Job that nothing is beyond His control or too difficult for Him, including controlling the seas, orchestrating each new dawn, and even positioning the stars in the sky (38:8, 38:12, 38:31). God reminded Job that there is nothing in all creation that escapes His attention, including when a mountain goat gives birth, when a raven is hungry, or when an eagle is soaring free across the sky (38:41, 39:1, 39:27). And just to emphasize His point, God reminds Job that He (God) has power and authority over the mightiest and most majestic creatures Job would have been aware of including the horse, the ox, and something God called “Leviathan”. As mighty as those creatures are, God is mightier.
The point was that as Job was enduring his difficult times, the evidence of God’s power and presence was all around him. The evidence was present in creation itself and all of life around Job was overflowing with the glory and majesty of God. God’s past power and faithfulness had been proven without question, and His presence in that moment was obvious and observable – if Job would only have opened his eyes and seen.
Finally, in 42:3, Job realized his foolishness in ever having doubted God and to have ever accused God of not caring. Job said, “Surely I spoke about things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” In other words, Job had been wrong about God.
God had been there for Job in the middle of it all. He never left him, He never abandoned him. That was true for Job and it’s true for us too. As dark and troubling as life can sometimes seem, God is still there with us. We need only recall His faithfulness and His provision and the many times He has delivered us in the past, to know that He is able and willing to deliver us now.
In the midst of your trials don’t lose sight of God. He’s still there. The evidence of His presence is all around you.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 