Saturday, June 18, 2011

This Is Our God

Last night, after a really long day, I was reading the book of Job and instantly found myself with tears in my eyes, revelling in the nature of the God we serve.

Job was a righteous man, and had found favor in the eyes of the Lord. But Satan wanted to see him curse His God. God wanted to show that Job really was faithful, so he allowed for poverty and famine and disease to strike Job and his family. But instead of cursing God, Job praised Him ( Job 1:20-22). Sure, there was a lot of questioning, but never did Job turn from His God.

A lot of people look at the book of Job and think that God must be so ruthless to allow such horrible things to happen to His children. I was thinking about it, and the ways of the Lord in general. Think about it, when you pray for patience, God doesn't suddenly make you patient; He gives you opporunities to exercise patience. So if Job wanted to be a faithful servant in the ways of the Lord, God wasn't going to just tell Satan, "No,he's faithful, just let him be". God wants to test us, because without tests and challenges we do not change. We cannot be closer to the Lord and more like Jesus our Savior if God never shows us how to do that. So when the Lord was testing and trying Job, He was really blessing him.

And then I kept going. I thought about times I've been tested by God, and how praising God for who He is revealed more of His Spirit in my life. I thought about the magnitude of His greatness, glory, and love that He would inspire such praise and servanthood.

This is our God: the One who formed the seas and the mountains, the One who redeemed a nation and brought a people to safety. The One who rescued His prophets and commanded praise in all situations. The One who was born among animals, the One who was followed and then mocked, the One who lived in submission to His Father, the One who stretched out and died in shame on a tree. The One for whom followers risked and continue to risk all honor, pride, and life. The One who is coming for all who call on His name and will wipe all tears from their eyes, erasing the darkness and establishing the rule of Light and Truth on earth. This is our God.



I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number: Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields:set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety. Job 5:8-11

Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. Job 5:17-22

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