Pastor’s Bible Reading Schedule:
Job 33-34
Saturday: Jeremiah 22-26
Sunday: Mark 13-14
During the difficult days of World War II, a young Jewish girl in the Warsaw ghetto of Poland managed to escape over the wall and hide in a cave. Tragically, she died shortly before the Allied army broke into the ghetto to liberate the prisoners. But before she died, she had scratched on the wall some powerful creeds: “I believe in the sun, even though it is not shining. I believe in love, even when feeling it or not. I believe in God, even when he is silent.”
This testimony explains the problem experienced by Job in his trial. Without hearing any audible word from God, Job felt that God was silent. He longed to hear a word from God, but no direct communication was forthcoming. So Elihu, the fourth friend to speak to Job, argued that God had been speaking and had been doing so loud and clear. The problem was that Job had not been listening. Elihu instructed Job that God speaks through dreams, suffering, and messengers. The Almighty had not left Himself without a witness. He was speaking; however, the question to be answered… was Job listening?
Elihu helped Job hear God again. The voice of this young man brought great counsel: Job must recapture a correct view of God. Where Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar had failed, Elihu succeeded in helping point Job in the right direction. In the end God rebuked Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar but not Elihu because his assessment was on target. Job did not rebut Elihu. His silence indicated that Elihu’s words were correct. Each one of Elihu’s four speeches was designed to correct Job’s wrong view of God. Elihu said that God is not silent (Chapter 33) or unjust (Chapter 34). We will see in the future chapters that God was not uncaring (Chapter 35), or powerless (Chapter 36-37). These truths give us a balanced view of God.
Prayer Requests:
Personal
- Lord, please help me to trust your heart when I cannot trace your hand.
- Lord, please help me to thank you and thank those that you use to guide, correct, or encourage me.
- Lord, please help me to grow in my love for you and for my faith in you.
Political
- Senator Curt VanderWall – District 035 – Ludington
- Representative Scott VanSingel – District 100 – Grant
- Representative Greg VanWoerkom – District 091 – Montague