Devotion
Job’s faith tested
David Jacobs
When I was 22, I experienced one hardship after another and was unable to focus on anything positive for a long time. At that time, I truly began to think that nothing mattered and life had no meaning. My best friend had died of cancer at the age of 21, and I had to witness him waste away until he was just skin and bones. My oldest friend died when he fell out of a window, an incredible stroke of bad luck. My best friend's mom, mere months after his passing, also was diagnosed and suddenly died from cancer. Egotistically, I thought about my role, blaming myself for their deaths in one way or another: what could I have done differently? Why did God hate me? Worst of all, I hated God.
Satan puts Job to the absolute test, making my misfortunes seem almost insignificant. Within a span of a few verses, one messenger after another approaches Job with worse and worse news: first the cows were stolen and servants killed, then the sheep and fields were burned, then the camels and more servants were killed, and, the icing on the cake, all of his children were killed when the house collapsed. It would be enough to break any man. More than just break, it would be enough to send most men away, a new ally of Satan.
Somehow, Job's faith is strong enough. He realizes that he was born alone and will die alone, except accompanied by God. He has a good point too: we were alone saving for God upon birth, and do we look upon it as terrible? The same could be true of death, yet we seldom view it as such. Our time on earth is fleeting, like water vapor: here one second, gone the next (James 4:14).
Prayer
With a strong faith and trust in God, we are promised life eternal. For a stubborn man like me, and a stronger man like Job, it may take some time, but the choice is clear.
Night Prayer
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Inspiration
We despise the thought of a pile of dirty dishes in the sink. The outside is easy to clean; it's the caked-up residue on the inside that's so difficult to remove. Jesus compares the scribes and Pharisees with dishes that have been wiped clean on the outside while dirty inside. The Pharisees took exceptional care of their outward appearance and neglected their inward spirits. We are guilty of allowing our hearts to be left filthy as well. We look and act as we should while our souls are full of darkness. We must continue to converse with the Holy Spirit daily and trust His guidance to cleanse our sinful nature.
Prayer
Dear God, Please forgive our sinful nature. We yearn for cleansing from within, so we are genuine witnesses to Your name. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
