Another beautiful Lord’s Day! Two Sundays in a row, you ask? No, I realize this is Monday, but it belongs to the Lord too. This morning, I thought I’d share just a few of my favorite verses in the beloved Book of Job and why they are special to me. I am not a Bible scholar; far from it. I simply love God’s Word.
“For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field; and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee” (Job 5:23). I remember striding along my walking trail at Manos Meadows. Part of the path took me within three feet of our bee hive. You’ve heard of a bee-line? Well, those busy little insects would zip within inches of my head on their way to and from their hive. I had no fear that they would fly into me and they didn’t. I was no threat to them and they were no threat to me. As a youngster, I went barefoot a lot during the summer. I recall the sun-warmed rocks under my feet, knowing their roughness or smoothness. I remember walking down our long driveway and the warm dust puffing up between my toes. Then, as now, some days I would look at the magnificence of sky, trees, hills and flowers and marvel at the wonderful world the Lord has made, stones, field, animals.
“Hold they peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom” (Job 33:33). This is a verse that I call upon many times. There is another verse (is it in the Book of Proverbs?) about keeping silent and being thought wise whereas speaking only reveals my ignorance! Anyway, I need this verse.
“Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?” (Job 35:11). Well, of course, the answer is God! But birds and animals certainly have lessons to teach us. They care for their young, they fashion their homes in ways that best fit their habits, they obey the rules God set for them. And, just by their being, they bring beauty into the world.
“If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures” (Job 36:11). This is another verse, one of many in the Bible that give a simple formula for success for a person and a nation. The wonder to me is that we think we know better or else completely disregard the pattern set out by our Maker, and wind up in disarray.
“Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God” (Job 37:14). The most wondrous work of God I have ever seen is a baby–any baby, but certainly my son and grandchildren are the babies I think of first. Babies are miracles, little beings made in the image of God. Babies are gifts to be diligently cared for by the people who have been entrusted with this privilege. The works of God are countless: nature and its order, sunrises and sunsets, the grandeur of a thunderstorm, the pristine loveliness of a snowfall, the ocean rolling in with waves crashing at my feet, but the most wondrous work of all are children and I bow my head and say, “Thank You, God. Thank You for Your wisdom and the world as You created it; thank You for love, protection, and Salvation. Thank You for Your Word and for loving an insignificant person like me.”
The Umbrella Tree in Winter
Just read Job 5:23 in the modern English Bible and it says, ‘For the stones of the field will not harm you.’ Wasn’t sure about the old English and being in league with the stones of the field. So helpful to have a few good translations!