Lessons from day 1

This morning I read from Job and was struck by the amazing power of God.
Job is responding to some really poor counsel from people who are trying to explain his suffering to him. Their main point seems to be that Job has sinned therefore God is punishing him. Could God do that? Would God do that?
Of course it's possible, but not in Job's case. God was doing something else. Job had neither sinned nor failed God.
What is striking in Job is his repeated recognition of God's sovereign power. In Job 12:7-10 we read:

7 "But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;
8 or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
9 Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
10 In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind."

Job understood that while we may not understand why thing happen or what is actually happening around us, we can always understand who controls all things.

As we read and talked about Israel's struggle with faithfulness yesterday, I was reminded of how much we are like Israel as God's people. We forget who we should follow. We often break covenant with God

We are also like Job's friends. We give bad advice.

In spite of all of my shortcomings God keeps the covenant.

Today may we be like the rest of creation saying:

Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.Read more