- If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand? Job 35:6-7 – It took some studying for me to fully grasp what was being said here, so let’s see if I can help you understand it too. The question that’s being asked is if we sin, how does that change God? Or if we are faithful, how does that benefit Him? It’s asking what does our being bad or being good give to God to help or hurt Him? The answer is nothing. Of course our unfaithfulness and rebellion saddens God and our faithfulness pleases Him, but neither changes the nature of God. He doesn’t need us to be faithful to exist and our unfaithfulness doesn’t diminish His glory. We don’t add or subtract anything from who God is by the way we live, He’s above all that. So why then does it matter how we live and why does He care so much? Because while the way we live doesn’t change Him, it does change us and the nature of our walk with Him. He wants the best life for us and the strongest walk He can have with us. This is why He is so invested in our faithfulness to Him. This is why He was willing to do everything Christmas is all about. Not for His growth and benefit, but ours. So when God grabs your heart on something in your life or disciplines you in some way, know it’s not for Him He’s doing it, it’s for you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1487
- Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out; they call for help because of the arm of the mighty. But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’ Job 35:9-11 – Continuing his speech to Job, Elihu brings up a unique point about man’s heart when he cries out to the Lord for help. When saying “none says, ‘Where is God my Maker,” he isn’t saying that no one every cries out for help, but that no one truly cries out to the Lord in sincerity. They are just looking for a way out of their trouble, and will take whatever path arises out, even if that path isn’t the God they cried out to. For Elihu, this is why Job wasn’t hearing from God, because Job wasn’t being sincere in his desire for God’s help. Job just wanted out of the pain. While once again we have to remember that Elihu had so much wrong about Job and his situation, this concept he brings up can have something we can glean off it. What is our sincerity level when we cry out to God for help? Are we only looking for a means out of the pain, or are we allowing this painful situation to be an environment that we can draw closer to our Redeemer? I think how we can discover the answer to that question is asking what do we do with God after we are rescued from the pain? Do we further our pursuit of Him and declare His wonderful works to the world, or do we go back to living our life without a looking to Him until the next trial comes? God is seeking after followers that will follow Him before, during, and after hardships. Ones that will acknowledge Him as their Maker, as the one that gives them a song in the night, and the one that gives wisdom at all times, not just in the hard times. Let that be said of us today. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2660
Daily DEVO 