Sep 02

Two, three times, perhaps more, God may patiently speak in these various ways. But at the end of it all, if we still refuse to listen, he will not continue to offer us one more chance. There comes that final time when God speaks but once more -- in judgment.

"But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword and die without knowledge" (Job 36: 12).

Before proceeding any further, let us note once again that all of this does not mean that when we experience trials and difficult circumstances that God is simply trying to tell us something and that if we fail to discern what it is then we have failed as listeners. There may be reasons completely unrelated to our learning a particular lesson from God which are the reason for difficult circumstances in our life.

Job is the classic example of this. After all that he suffered in loss, God never did tell him why. How is a person supposed to learn his lesson if he is never told what that lesson is? What use is it for Job to go through all of his trials if God is trying to tell him something, and never know what God is telling him?

The answer, as you are probably aware, is that the message was never intended for Job at all: It was meant for Satan, the accuser. The first two chapters of that book make that perfectly clear. Twice Satan challenges God to prove that Job truly fears God, and twice God allows suffering to come upon Job. Why? To teach Job a lesson? No, to teach Satan a lesson.

Our suffering may not be for our benefit (we may think) but it is always for God's greater purposes. And we may never know what that purpose is until we see things more clearly in heaven.

Scripture for today: 1 Cor. 13:12
Thought for today: God is sovereign.
Prayer for today: I submit to your sovereignty, Lord. Use me as a living lesson for others as you choose.

SEP 02