Discover His heart: He responds to our trust in Him with deliverance
When the game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? started airing on television, I’d watch it whenever I could because I loved the title and enjoyed having my knowledge put to the test. After all, who doesn’t want to be a millionaire? As one who has been known to pick up an Encyclopedia book, say H-I, and read it for pure enjoyment, I find discovering what I really know to be entertaining and obviously thousands of others who watch the program do as well.
While watching the program one night, I discovered that I knew the answer to every question up to the $500,000 question without phoning a friend, asking the audience or eliminating half the answers. Amazing, yet true! Then, the buzzer rang and the show was continued to the following evening. I wasn’t home to watch the next program, but I seemed to walk with my head held a little higher. That is until a few days later when I watched the show again and missed a $1,000 question. Job was surrounded with friends who thought they had all the answers to life, but none of that knowledge was helpful to poor Job. Sometimes we just don’t know as much as we think we do.
@ Job 11
“Then Zophar the Naamathite replied to Job: ‘Shouldn’t someone answer this torrent of words? Is a person proved innocent just by a lot of talking? Should I remain silent while you babble on? When you mock God, shouldn’t someone make you ashamed?’” (1-3) Well, the old saying comes to mind, With friends like that, who needs enemies? Evidently, tension had been mounting for Job’s third friend as he listened to the discussions, and he must have felt that someone had to stop the polite discussion and straighten out sinful Job.
Zophar said to this man who had lost all his wealth, all his children and most of his health, “Listen! God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve!” (6) Or, “Here Job, here’s a little salt for your wounds.” What Zophar knew about Job was based on fallacy, yet he thought he knew everything and judged Job accordingly. May our hearts always be sensitive to the hurts of others, putting judgment in the hands of God where it belongs.
@ Job 12
“Then Job spoke again: ‘You people really know everything, don’t you? And when you die, wisdom will die with you! Well, I know a few things myself—and you’re no better than I am. Who doesn’t know these things you’ve been saying?’” (1-3) I’m not sure how Job had the strength to respond to Zophar and his friends with this pithy counter, but it certainly made me feel better.
Job went on to talk about the magnitude of God’s knowledge and power, “But true wisdom and power are found in God…He uncovers mysteries hidden in darkness; he brings light to the deepest gloom.” (13,22) We think, in all our brilliance, that we have discovered the cure for diseases, space travel and our endless inventions, but did He not know it all first? Do our breakthroughs surprise Him? No, He is the One who uncovers all the answers for which we are given credit, and it is He who places them in the hearts and minds of men.
All this knowledge spouted by Job’s friends was not impressive to him because he knew that it came from the Source of all knowledge. Job’s greatest concern was not about what he knew about God. Job’s greatest concern was about what he did not know about God – why was God punishing him? As we will learn, deliverance came to Job when he finally turned his focus back to his knowledge of who God was regardless of what God did. Deliverance from the trials we face is certain for us as well when we focus on who we know God to be and put our trust in Him.
Moving Forward: Because I know Him to be all wisdom and faithfulness, I will trust Him in all that I may face today, assured of His power to deliver.
Tomorrow @ Isaiah 29-33
Phyllis Benigas 