Words to Remember... (Part 2 of "How Great is our God")

"But now, hear my speech, O Job, and listen to all my words. Behold, I open my mouth; the tongue in my mouth speaks. My words declare the uprightness of my heart, and what my lips know they speak sincerely." Job 33:1-3

These words are being spoken by a friend of Job's named Elihu. All throughout the book, Job's friends and family are giving "unwise" council, things like "Curse God and die" (Job 2:9.) But one of his friends' advise was worth heeding, and that was Elihu's. At the end of the book, God charges all of Job's friends to seek forgiveness and to offer sacrifices for their wrong judgments of Job during his trials; all but Elihu that is. He is left out of the equation. So judging especially Elihu's words, which seem to come directly form God, he alerts Job to listen carefully to the words he was about to say. He then goes on to say "For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds, then he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings, that he may turn man aside from his deed and conceal pride from a man; he keeps back his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword."

God uses pain, affliction, trials, and tribulation to test us, to refine us, to strengthen us. As showed in Hosea, He leads us into the wilderness for our own good. This can be a hard thing for me to deal with. Was my accident for punishment or was it to draw me closer to Him? Not that I don't deserve punishment, but I believe that it was to draw him closer to Him. I've entertained idols, and I've had wealth and good times, and in both instances, I have been pulled from God. It's in the wilderness that you most appreciate God, that you can see him so clearly. It's in the rain, in the thunderstorm, while thunder is cracking all around you; that's when you draw close to Him.

"Then man prays to God, and he accepts him; he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he restores to man his righteousness. He sings before men and says: 'I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me. He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light." Job 33:26-28.

That says it all. The wilderness is where we find God, where His light shines the best. So in times where we wander in the desert place, remember Him, and know that He's there with you. Notice that He is still taking care of you, giving manna from the sky, and water from the rocks. And fall down at His feet, and praise Him, and He "restores to man his righteousness." So look upon the Light in the wilderness. He will be there.