Devotion
Answer me! Where were you when….
David Jacobs
One of my best friends got into a huge and unnecessary argument not that long ago. It was embarrassing to watch as his friend, because I thought that his behavior was completely unmerited. He had no idea what he was talking about and should not have been involved, but forced himself into a situation and presumed to know how to respond. It was, to be honest, insulting, and everyone told him as such. He was upset at the reaction he received, storming away in a fit of rage. I was pleased to see him apologize to the group he offended a few days later, knowing that he was wrong.
Job lost everything to Satan when Satan wanted to prove to God that he could flip even the most righteous of God's followers to evil. In the chapters preceding this one, Job has done that, wondering why and how God could let this happen to him. These verses are God's response, similar to the rebuke that the group had to my friend. Job assumes that he has any idea what God has planned and demands an answer. Job has no idea! God asks where was Job when God created everything! There is not much that can be said in reply to that.
As Christians, no matter what befalls us, we should not question why it has happened.
Prayer
If we have questions, go to God in prayer. Meditate on it in prayer, and you might receive an answer. Go to God with accusations, and you will only be filled with the pain that you came to Him with. If you do this, be a man, like my friend, and apologize. God will forgive you and you will be better for it.
Night Prayer
And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
Inspiration
The Jews were desperate to extinguish Paul's life and vowed their death to accomplish the deed. Paul was imprisoned, beaten, and rejected multiple times, yet he continued the Lord's ministry because he had faith in God's plan. How important is sharing the Gospel today? We often become comfortable and fail to venture out into our local community to share the way to salvation. We are shy or may not be confident about our evangelical skills. We have faith in God's plan; He extends salvation to all, and we are crucial in His ministry.
Prayer
Dear God, we are crucial to Your ministry. Please help us overcome our weaknesses, so we may continue sharing the Gospel. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
The Barrier is Removed
Frances Taylor
Moses had brought the Israelites out of Egypt and now they were wondering if they were any better off! They had reached the Red Sea, and couldn't see any way around this barrier that had been placed before them. But God knew what he was doing and Moses followed his instructions and the sea parted so that the Israelites could pass through on dry ground. A question sometimes asked at a job interview is, "What do you do when you face an obstacle?" How would you answer? Would you try to go around it, through it, or perhaps over it? Moses could not go around his obstacle and knew that without help, he could never bring all the people, animals and supplies through it. So, he asked God for help. Was that the first thing you thought of? There is a saying, "If God brings you to it, he will bring you through it." The key here is to ask God to bring us through it.
We often face challenges in our lives, especially when we are trying to live as Jesus wants...
