"Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food." Job 23:12
What do we really hold dear in life? What is the one thing that we can search out, uncover, and truly say that we desire greater than any other thing in our whole existence? For most people is there anything we would be willing to sacrifice all else for? Consider Job, even in the most dire moments of his life, proclaimed that he esteemed the word of God more that the food that it took for him to live. What resolve this must have been. What astonishing faith he must have possessed to honestly and without hesitation be able to say such a thing. It is in moments like this that we as followers of Jesus Christ should take close account of our personal walk and faith in our God.
Here we see a man seemingly totally abandoned by God, left to wither and die like a cursed beast of the field, yet in his pain and suffering he still rested and relied on the very words of him whom he cannot find. After all, it was Job that said: "Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:" (Job 23:8-9) How lonely and low must he have felt? In some small way we, today, can relate to his situation. We have all been in dire straights that seemed to lead no where but down, and we have all felt as though we were alone without God to strengthen us. Yet, in that time of despair where did we turn and in what did we trust? Did we seek out a wise man for saged advice or perhaps turned to friends and family esteeming their thoughts greater worth than our own? Perhaps we sought God for an answer, but determined the answer that come was of the devil – due to the fact it was the course of suffering or shame. How many of us honestly turned to the word of God in our darkest moments?
Sadly, very few will answer yes. Why? Because we do not trust his word and respect it as we should. We believe it has great life lessons in it, but it was for a time so long ago that it couldn't possibly instruct us in our modern times. The truth is God's word knows no time and there is never an instance that its black and white approach will become archaic. His word will fit anytime because it was spoken out of time. It is verily a word fitly spoken. His instructions transcend both time and distance for the simple reason that God has spoken them. Really, think of it this way: God, the creator of life, time, everything we know, speaks words to enlighten. Why would that wisdom be for only one person or one time? There is no possible way that his word would stop for anything. After all "whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." (Rom. 15:4)
The root of this problem extends beyond our weekly gatherings at church or occasional group discussions during the week. It goes to the fact that we do not respect and honor the word of God as we should. We have been bombarded with the evil ideologies that man can somehow improve what God put together. We think of the Holy Bible as no more than a precursor to The Book of Virtues: a collection of sound values and proper lifestyles, yet has no real foundation for everyday modern life.
Here we are sadly and gravely mistaken. The Holy Bible reaches deeper into the soul of man than any other book that has been, or ever will be produced. It was transcribed by holy men of God that esteemed God's words greater that the substances to remain alive. It was preserved by God through many glorious methods, and brought to the common men and women of the world by the translators of King James in 1611. This same God doesn't need man to improve what he has already perfected; nor does he require our so-called scholars to approve his message. He is God; plain and simple. He ruleth all things, he formed all things, and nothing in heaven or in earth was or is made without him.
It is high time, rather it is past time, that we return to the fear of God which is to hate evil [Pro. 8:13] We must realize that no matter what happens in this life we fight not against weapons of flesh and blood, but instead we battle "spiritual wickedness in high places." (Eph. 6:12) Our only defense against such enemies is if we are sheltered by the promises of God. Promises that can only be found and understood by searching and believing the written words of God. In the end, when all the sorrows of this life have come and gone, it will not be our strength that has caused us to stand the test of time. Instead, we must realize that if we do not have the words of Christ in-filling us, we have nothing to live for. Perhaps Peter said it best when he confessed "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." (John 6:68) |
