#DailyDevotion When You Hope For Death
February 27th
Read Job 30:16–31
Job 30:24-31 “Yet does not one in a heap of ruins stretch out his hand, and in his disaster cry for help? (25) Did not I weep for him whose day was hard? Was not my soul grieved for the needy? (26) But when I hoped for good, evil came, and when I waited for light, darkness came. (27) My inward parts are in turmoil and never still; days of affliction come to meet me. (28) I go about darkened, but not by the sun; I stand up in the assembly and cry for help. (29) I am a brother of jackals and a companion of ostriches. (30) My skin turns black and falls from me, and my bones burn with heat. (31) My lyre is turned to mourning, and my pipe to the voice of those who weep.
When we go back to the beginning of Job we see that he really was a good man. We often think the rich must be doing something wrong to accumulate great wealth but that is not always the case. The Lord makes one man rich and another poor. He made Job rich. Now he made Job poor and miserable. During his good days Job was actually an outstanding fellow and he makes that clear here, “Did not I weep for him whose day was hard? Was not my soul grieved for the needy?” Job did what he should have done and yet now he is in misery.
What great trouble Job was in. He not only lost worldly wealth and children but on top of that his health had taken a turn for the worse. He was covered in sores and his inward parts even were in turmoil and never still. His life now was hardly worth living in the eyes of many people. Job certainly felt that way and he expressed it clearly.
He has cried out to God the Lord for help and it looks like he’s not getting any. At best he has had a visit from friends which hasn’t done Job a whole lot of good. In fact, Job is probably feeling even more miserable. So what now? Are you experiencing what Job experienced? Do you have a love one who is undergoing what Job is undergoing? I could point you out to the end of Job where everything works out for Job. But the fact of the matter is many saints undergo what Job has undergone, some even to the point of martyrdom. They suffer their whole lives and never get relief until they close their eyes in death. You may be one of these people.
Mat 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, … Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? …33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Each day has its own trouble and we are not to think only about this life. Our hearts and minds need to be on heavenly things. Our hope is not in the things of this world but in heaven. (Col. 1:5) Our treasure is being kept safe there for us by our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ, while for us in this world is mainly for us in the world to come. So we do not fear what this age may do to us. It is transitory but the life to come is eternal in Jesus Christ.
Lord Jesus Christ, in the midst of trials and agonies of this life, give us your Word that we might not give up hope even and especially when everything of this world is hopeless and there is no chance of things getting better but instead receive strength to live in with the promise of the resurrections. Amen.