Scripture Nugget 5.25.2017
Scripture Read Job 41-42
Nugget Job 42:9a-12a
“…and the LORD accepted Job’s prayer. And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends; and the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then there came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they ate bread with him in his house; they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him; and each gave him a piece of money and a gold ring. The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; …”
Devotional Thought: Let’s remember what we first learned about Job, “There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. …so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. (Job 1:1,3b) Job sacrificed burnt offerings for his children, just in case they had sinned. Job prayed for his children, Job lived a life of Over-the-Horizon faith because He not only accepted God’s Over-the-Horizon promises but had received them as well. In is pain of suffering, he wrestled with and tried to make some logical sense out of all that had occurred. His “friends” weren’t much help and apparently, his extended family withdrew from his presence. Notice and grab hold of this: “…and the LORD accepted Job’s prayer. And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends” Job returned to praying for others, to lifting others up to God. He gave up attempting to “fix” them and gave up attempting to “fix” himself. He prayed for his friends and God restored his fortunes. This is not fodder to bolster ideas to uphold thoughts on the prosperity gospel. The material fortunes are an outward sign of a return to spiritual fortunes – assured life with God. Faith to pray to God for others and for self. To pray, not because we have the answers, but because we have questions and know God will respond. Though with that faith, we do have The Answer – God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), He is all the fortune we need!