Oh my beautiful Friends in Christ, it’s Monday; time for the Monday Morning Battle Hymn! ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to. They might be jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but they serve a useful purpose on this our earthly journey; keeping lives, limbs and families together in fairly comfortable circumstances. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, where we’ll be constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know that the evil enemy cannot harm us once we’re protected by your powerful, protective aura. We humbly ask that you let your Holy Spirit guide and protect us all as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom here on earth. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen!’ Oh Friends, that passage right there answers Job’s questions! ‘What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?’ If we don’t, we possibly won’t even have the little we do have, since He’s the Provider of all things, and deep down Job knew that. However, it’s understandable that his faith was badly shaken by the very magnitude and suddenness of his calamities. When one is in severe pain, especially suffering trials for no apparent reason, or fault of your own, it’s extremely difficult to keep one’s faith alive and kicking. But that’s exactly what we need to do my people. It’s in those rough times when our faith is being tested that we need to come up exceedingly strong. You really couldn’t fault Job for thinking the way he did, but the important thing is that his faith did not completely disappear, neither did he curse God, just questioned the rightness and justice of the whole situation. Today, many of us tend to do the same thing when we see the wicked prospering and we, the righteous suffering. But let’s not lose faith my brethren; remember the wicked only prosper for a time, and only on this vanishing earth. As believers, we have to look to the life after this one, that’s the important one, where Jesus is preparing a stately home for us. It’s definitely not easy to suffer the pangs of misfortune, then immediately turn around and say: ‘Thank you Lord!’ though it’s the attitude we need to adopt. Note too Friends, that Job wasn’t the only one to question the Lord’s omnipotence and justice. Long before that Pharaoh asked: ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go?’ (Ex.5:2) But after several deathly plagues befell his prosperous land of Egypt, he certainly became aware of the Lord’s identity and power and let His people go. Job’s friend, Eliphaz, accuses him of terrible sin, asking: ‘Hast thou marked (will you keep to) the old way which wicked men have trodden? Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown (washed away) with a flood: Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for (to) them? Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.’ (Job 22:15-18) Ah mih people, our world is so confusing, and our supposed friends so fickle, that it takes a strong faith and heart to overcome the injustices we face. Job is the perfect example of that. Instead of empathizing with him in his most sorrowful time, his friends accuse him of being extremely wicked and sinful. We heard Eliphaz, now listen to Elihu. ‘What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning (derision) like water? Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men. For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.’ (Job 34:7-9) Job must have been deeply hurt by the venomous accusations of his friends when he knew that he’d done nothing to justify his sudden misfortune. Most likely he’d expected their comfort and reassurance rather than the harsh berating of being evil and sinful. And his questioning God’s purpose and right to be worshipped only fuelled the fire of their righteous indignation. But my brethren, unlike Job’s fickle friends, as true believers, we must learn not to pass judgement too quickly; neither on those who suffer serious misfortune or on those who achieve overwhelming fortune, for things are never simply what they seem to be on the surface. We know that our Lord’s plans are higher, wiser and more complex than we can ever understand, so when seeming irregularities pop up, let’s think carefully before judging the recipients. But like Job too, when we’re falsely accused of serious stuff, we have to refute the accusations as best we can, but also stand strong in faith and let the Lord fight the battle for us, because He knows men’s ways. As Job confidently stated: ‘But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.’ (Job 23:10) Yes Friends, the Lord knows all our doings, and if we’re honest and sincere with Him, He’ll certainly fight our battles for us. So let’s not be foolish and doubt or disrespect Him, for He can make or break us in the twinkling of an eyelash. He is our Creator, our strong Provider and sure Help in times of trouble, and deserves our undying praise, thanks, worship and adoration. Let no one make us ever doubt that. Much LOVE!…to bite the hand that feeds and nurtures you…is totally foolish…
SCRIP-BITS 