Dear class,
Today's readings are taken from Job 2-5.
We ended off yesterday's reading with a poignant statement from Job -
"And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
Someone commented that this was one of the most difficult things to do.
Indeed, many a time we do not know why things happen. It could be a personal tragedy, a catastrophic calamity, untimely lost of a loved one. Yet we note the faith of Job as he further responded, even after losing almost everything he had, even his health in. v.2:10 - "...What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?..."
What faith! What godly integrity!
But you know, today, having come to the knowledge of truth, we have indeed a greater assurance that places us in a much better position than Job to make those claims.
Yes, physical things/relationships come and go, but there's one thing that God has given and will NEVER take away from us, UNLESS we choose to reject it. And that is our Lord ans Saviour Jesus Christ. The very personification of love.
Observe Paul's powerful affirmation in Rom 8:35-39
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
O what glorious truth! What great comfort! What blessed assurance!
Since the very first sin in the garden of Eve, God had clothed us with His loving-kindness and mercy.
Indeed, with Christ, we can say - Naked came I out of my mother's womb, but clothed shall I return thither: the LORD gave the blood of Christ, blessed be the name of the LORD!
That is the blessed assurance. That is the ironclad guarantee that we should all take comfort in. We can lose all, but will forever be clothed in the blood of Christ, wherewith we would one day gain the glorious crown of righteousness. When the going get's tough, meditate on these things and be comforted by the perfect comfort from God, even as we comfort one another (2Co 1:4).
The Lord bless and comfort our day ahead.
in Him
Paul
