Verse 7: He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;he seals off the light of the stars
Reflection: This shows me the amazing and awesome power of God. There isn’t really any more to say. He controls everything, even the sun and stars. He has the power to just say something and have it be done. This shows me how awesome and great he is.
Prayer: Lord, please continue to make me aware of your amazing abilities. Please help my human mind comprehend the extent of your power.
Verses 5-6: But if you will look to God and plead with the Almighty if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place.
Reflection: This shows that Job has to get down and pray before God. He must ask for forgiveness. It’s not always an easy thing to do, asking for forgiveness. It takes a lot of courage and integrity to admit that you were wrong. Job’s friend is telling him that if gets on his knees and prays to God for forgiveness, than God will right everything and restore it to the way it was.
Prayer: Lord, please give me the strength to ask for forgiveness when I have done something wrong. Whether it is you or another person, please give me the courage to say that I am sorry.
Verse 11: Therefore I will not keep silent; I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Reflection: This gives me a lot of comfort because I know now that Job is offering up all of his problems to God. He is being honest and exposing himself. He is showing God that he is only human and complains a lot. I think that at times I feel like God doesn’t want to listen to my problems nor does he have time to listen to me complain. I know that I should be grateful for God and his mercy, but at times I lose sight of that and I can’t seem to muster enough faith to believe that everything God does is for a reason. I think God is trying to tell me that I should confide in him and give all of my problems to him. Like Job, I sometimes lose trust that God has time for me, but usually it’s because I feel guilty about not finding time for him.
Prayer: Lord, please help me to trust in you and believe that you want to listen to my problems. I know you have time for me, but sometimes it’s hard to believe that. Lord, please just continue to show me that all you do is for a greater purpose, and that when the world or something else has got me down, I can confide in you.
Verse 14: A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty
Reflection: This shows me that I should stick by my friends when they are turning away from God. I should not attack them and shove the Gospel down their throat, but simply care for them and give them support. The best way to bring a person to or back to Christ is by loving them. We Christians get the reputation as being pushy, even rude, and I am sure our intentions are good, but we need to change that reputation. Job is longing for the comfort and support of his friends in his time of need and they have deserted him.
Prayer: Lord, thank you so much for this day and all you have done for me. I just ask that you give me strength to support my friends even when I see them turning away from You. Help me to love them back to You and help me to build a strong and clean reputation for Christians.
Verses 17-19:Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal. From six calamities he will rescue you; in seven no harm will befall you.
Reflections: Once again God has shown me this passage to tell me that if I confide in him then he will take care of all my problems. He will rescue me from six calamities, and nothing will harm me. God will keep me safe. I also thin this passage deascribes how lucky we are to have God to discipline us. I am so thankful for a father who undenyingly knows the difference between right and wrong, and that if I ask him the difference, he will give me a straight answer. God disciplines us to become stronger in our faith and to draw us closer to him. After he has “yelled” or “lectured” us, he forgives us and all of the bad things we have done are forgotten. Job’s friend is telling him to not be mad at God for disciplining him. God is doing this to Job for a reason and Job needs to understand this fact. God is discipling him to strengthen his faith and Job should be thankful.
Prayer: Lord, I just pray that you can give me the determination to believe that your will is best for me and that I should not be angry when you discipline me. Lord, thank you so much for protecting and loving me. I am so grateful for your love and protection, and I pray that you can soften m heart come to rejoice in your discipline.
