Favor

You have granted me life and favor, and Your care has preserved my spirit.
-Job 10:12

🙂

Getting Our Attention

I’ve believed this for a number of years now and coming across this verse in the Bible this morning reaffirmed my sentiments.

Job 36
¹⁵Hard times and trouble 
 are God’s way of getting our attention! 
¹⁶And at this very moment, 
 God deeply desires to lead you from trouble 
 and to spread your table with your favorite food.  

Looking back in my life, Verse 15 has been spot-on in what it says. No denying it.

Every time you feel like something isn’t going right, or when things actually seem to be at their worst…those are the best times to get closer to God and the times when truly good things are being planned for your life.

As always, we have to believe this and trust this. As always, I am aware and living proof that it’s not always easy to do.

However, I hope you’ll really consider what these words say. It will likely change the way you perceive the rough spots in your life. Keeping an open mind and a receptive heart just might also bring you the peace of mind you’re looking for and quite possibly the resolution to the conflicts or troubles in your life.

It’s advice that I need to take as well.

Have a good day today, friends. God bless.

Listen in Silence

I was reading this passage this morning and felt I should share it. It’s the latest in a series of passages on wisdom that I have been taking a look at. I need to remind myself to listen in silence, as the verse says, more often. All the wisdom I’ll ever need is right there waiting for me.

 

Elihu Speaks  Job 33 Job, listen to me! Pay close attention.  *2Everything I will say 3is true and sincere,  4just as surely as the Spirit of God All-Powerful   gave me the breath of life.  5Now line up your arguments and prepare to face me.  6We each were made from clay, and God has no favorites,  7so don’t be afraid of me or what I might do. 8I have heard you argue 9that you are innocent,   guilty of nothing.  10You claim that God has made you his enemy,  11that he has bound your feet and blocked your path.  12But, Job, you’re wrong–   God is greater than any human.  13So why do you challenge God to answer you?  14God speaks in different ways,   and we don’t always recognize his voice.  *15Sometimes in the night, he uses terrifying dreams  16to give us warnings.  17God does this to make us turn from sin and pride  18and to protect us from being swept away   to the world of the dead.  19Sometimes we are punished with a serious illness   and aching joints.  20Merely the thought of our favorite food   makes our stomachs sick,  21and we become so skinny   that our bones stick out.  22We feel death and the grave taking us in their grip.  23One of a thousand angels then comes to our rescue   by saying we are innocent.  24The angel shows kindness, commanding death to release us,   because the price was paid.  25Our health is restored, we feel young again,  26and we ask God to accept us.   Then we joyfully worship God,   and we are rewarded because we are innocent.  27When that happens, we tell everyone,   “I sinned and did wrong, but God forgave me  28and rescued me from death! Now I will see the light.” 29God gives each of us chance after chance  30to be saved from death and brought into the light   that gives life.  31So, Job, pay attention and don’t interrupt,  32though I would gladly listen   to anything you say that proves you are right.  33Otherwise, listen in silence to my wisdom.