Is there anyone in history that brings you hope? There is for me, in fact there are several. How does looking at people in history bring hope? Do they bring hope because for some reason you see yourself in them? Have you ever said if _______ can have hope in all that they have gone through certainly their difficulty is far worse than what I am facing today? Today I want to write about one of my favorite people in the Bible. I receive great inspiration and hope from his story and hopefully you will also be inspired and hopeful.
There is a man in the Bible that God had a conversation with Satan about. God pointedly asked Satan if Satan had considered a man unlike any other who was blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. “Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” Job 1:9-11. (ESV) God then allowed Satan to touch anything in Job’s life except himself.
After Job stood firm in his faith in God. Satan took it a step further and asked to harm Job himself. God allowed it to happen. Here is how Job responded even after his wife suggested that Job turn against God. “Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.’ But he said to her, ‘You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” Job 2:9-10.
As the story goes on Job’s friends come and mourn with him but they become accusatory at Job saying that what is happening to him was because of his own behavior. He is experiencing bad things because he is bad. He has done bad things which he must confess and be forgiven of in order for his health restored. There was never any expectation that everything Job lost would be restored.
So, what I get from this story that gives me hope is that if I like Job remain faithful to God, God may bless me like he did Job. I also find some amazing things said by Job that encourage me. Job 9:29 says, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.” (ESV) After God starts to answer Job, Job says, “Then Job answered the Lord and said: ‘Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.’” Job 40:3-5 (ESV) If that was not enough God continued to answer Job. Job said, “‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (ESV) It is because I can understand God as Job did here that I can have hope.
Last God vindicated Job and restored what Job had lost. Not only did he retore Job’s health but He restored all that Job had lost in fact God gave Job twice what Job had lost. I too know that I have been restored by God through the death and resurrection of God’s only Begotten Son Jesus Christ on the cross. You too can be restored as well by accepting Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord.
Join me in getting hope from Job. Knowing that God is always there for us as He was for Job. Being confident that God gives us will never fail or disappoint. Hope is part of the gifts that God gives you when accept Jesus. Understanding that the hope you have is because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross satisfying the penalty for my sins and yours as well. It satisfies all my sins from the past, in the present and in the future. My penalty and yours was satisfied on the cross by the death of Jesus, God’s greatest act of love and wrath, who became sin for me and you. It was also God’s greatest act of faithfulness because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV) Because wisdom shows us, we need to believe in Jesus. I hope that you join me in helping others to choose Jesus.
If you have not read my previous blogs, you can find them here.
You can find my book, Hope Amid Hopelessness: Our Abba Father Provides a Way Through Mental Illness here.
eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press or Christianbook.com at Amazon or Google
