Reveration Blog
5/29/2011 DespairAside from Jesus, Job is perhaps history’s most famous man associated with suffering. Messengers report to him one fateful day of: enemies stealing his oxen, donkeys, camels and killing his servants; lightning destroying his sheep and shepherds; and, a powerful wind that wipes out all ten of his children. The poor man stood up, tore his robe and shaved his head and then fell on the ground in worship saying, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Praise the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:21) It was bad enough to lose what he loved, but then Job was afflicted with “incurable boils from the sole of his foot to the top of his head.” (2:7b) His wife counsels him to curse God and die. In constant pain, his spirit caves to the convulsing of his soul and it is not hard to understand why he uttered the following words. “Remember that my life is [but] a breath. My eye will never again see anything good.” (Job 7:7)
Despair is like a tornado. The sky darkens ominously, the winds roar in fury while fear grabs you by the throat. It may crush your world and destroy all you hold dear replacing structure with debris. Despair is like a flood. The waters rise unmercifully tossing aside sandbags so frantically placed and breaching walls with the grim force that knows no restraint. High ground brings safety but cannot hide disaster. It is when we reach our lowest point; exhaust all our human means of gaining relief that we discover the limit of anguish. For the child of God, misery never prevails. Job got it wrong. His eyes did see good again. God restored his property, doubled his possessions and gave him seven sons and three daughters who exceeded all other women for beauty in the land. He lived to see his great, great grandchildren. (42:10,13,15,16) Oswald Chambers wrote in Baffled to Fight Better, “When we get to despair we know that all our thinking will never get us out; we will only get out by the sheer creative effort of God, consequently we are in the right attitude to receive from God that which we cannot gain for ourselves.” God’s salvation is our solution. You may encounter the worst of disasters. You may fail beyond quitting and care less about hoping but God is not defeated. Let your despair be His repair. In the nightmare take faith that even death leads to life. In the great morning you will discover His grace. Meditation Psalm 17:15—But I will see Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied with Your presence. ©2011 Daniel York ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause. If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box. Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice. Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth. (Holman CSB) Comments are closed.
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Photo from Rachel Maxey Miles