Day 40- Seek Him

Day 40
Job 34-35, Matthew 2

 Even though reading parts of the Christmas story right now may seem funny, the concepts most definitely still apply! Even in Job's situation, we can tie together these two books of the Bible.

As the wise men traveled far to seek their Savior, we need to understand that these men were much like the "unchurched" in today's world. They were "looking for something" meaningful, as many who are seeking meaning do. The wise men were not the high of the society, but they still went to Christ, outwitting King Herod in the meantime.

Once they found Him, they brought Him gifts and worshiped Him. The process here is stunning. Seek, give, worship. There is no reason this can't apply in today's world. People are looking for something - a meaning, a fix, a way to live. We can pound Jesus into their heads all we want, but it won't matter until they experience Him themselves. One person's word doesn't mean much when you come from a life of disappointment and life falling apart.

Once you find Him, and give Him your all, the amazing things begin to blossom in life, and we can't help but worship.

We need to seek Him in every situation. I'm sure you know by now that situations like Job's require a lot of heart searching and remembering Who you serve. His friends could take this to heart too. Seeking Christ will lead you to the best advice, and give you words to live by. Rather than repeating over and over again how arrogant Job was, and how sinful he was, his friends could have had the truth revealed to them if they just opened their eyes instead of their egos.

Are you seeking something right now? Is the meaning of life something that is just blurry to you? Look for something different, something eternal and something that is completely worthwhile. In everything you do, seek Him! Finding your place in Christ's plan can cause amazing awe in your life, and you can't help but worship because of the amazing things He as done.

Day 39- Victory

Day 39

Psalm 20-22

We read David's powerful words to His God, as he celebrates victory over his enemies thanks to God's hand. The power portrayed in David's words give us a glimpse of the God we serve and have by our sides. It is interesting in Psalm 22 where it foreshadows to Jesus' death. David's life felt hopeless, much like that time for Jesus and His disciples, but as you know, victory was the moral of the story, and it can be your story too. 

Have you celebrated the victories God has given you? Whether they are big or small victories, they are worthy of praising Him for them. With the rest of your quiet time, reflect on the victories God has given you. Celebrate and praise Him for them! If you're in a rut, pray for God's victory. Trust in Him to show you a marvelous light through it all! 

Day 38 - Own It

Day 38
Job 32-33, Matthew 1

We see how God takes ordinary people to do extraordinary things and make wonderful points. Matthew leads up to the birth of Jesus through people who weren't all that holy. As you will see as we make our way through the Word, however, is that God used these people to bring the Savior!

Trudging through life, and trying to cope in "survival mode" seems to be a theme for many. We get through a day and move onto the next one, not really looking back or looking ahead. When we hit a wall and mess up, we figure we are unworthy or done with what God had planned for us, but the truth of the matter is those moments are when God can shine in you most.

Even in Job's situation, God will move in extraordinary ways. He has a plan, He has a plan, He has a plan! Despite how people judge you and what they think about the situation you are in, He is ultimately the One in control.

Each of the names leading up the Christ's birth had a story and they had hardships. There are no perfect people, nor are there easy lives, but these people, whether you had heard of them or not, played a huge role in bringing Christ to the world. No matter how insignificant you feel or how messed up you think your life is, God will use you!

Joseph, Mary's husband, was a great example of owning his situation. Because Mary had gotten pregnant (Joseph was unaware of how until the angel came to him) he had made plans to leave Mary quietly. In this culture, this was a big deal. Mary could have been stoned to death if Joseph had blown the whistle on her being a "cheater", before knowing the whole story. But Joseph, we read, takes ownership and he "took" Mary to be his wife. This word "took" means to take (receive) by showing strong personal initiative. Joseph owned this situation and stayed in God's plan!

Where are you finding yourself in life today? No matter how insignificant you feel, or how mundane your days are, remember, God is using them for a greater purpose. You may feel like your life is so messed up and there is no fixing it, but God has a plan! We see all the "messed up" people He used to bring us a Savior! He will do greatness in and through you too! Own this day and your situation. Own your life!

Day 37-Getting Over Yourself

Day 37
Job 30-31

The pride that stirs in our culture is very evident. While pride alone isn't bad, it is where pride can lead us that causes issues. Galatians 5:3 says that "you are not too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important."

I don't point this out to cause you to completely trample yourself and not find value in who you are, but to remind you of the gentle nature we are to have in a world that thrives on "being the best". Humility gives you those eyes to see the needs around you. Living in a self-absorbed bubble blurs what you see when you look out it.

Job was a man of great humility. Though he was rich, blessed and had everything he could have ever needed and wanted, he still helped others and was righteous in the Lord's eyes. Job rants on about what he has accomplished and had, but he pads that with God is God and always will be. We cannot judge the Lord and we surely can't change the way of His plan.

Our Galatians reading today tells us to bear each others' burdens, and as we reflect back to Job's friends, we can see that they didn't do such a lovely job at that. They tended to throw Job over the coals for things he wasn't guilty of, rather than simply listening and being humble towards him. As Galatians states, don't follow what people tell you to do, as they are trying to get the credit for your works, but follow what Christ is telling you to do, because our boast should be in the cross alone.

If your life is all about what you can do for you, rather than humbling yourself to help others, you have received your reward. Having open eyes and a heart for the hurting around you, and finding your pride only in Christ and what He has done for us all will put you and the ones you help on the right path."As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified and the world's interest in me has also died. It doesn't matter what you do. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation."

Day 36 - God's Perspective

Day 36
Job 28-29, Galatians 5

The way that Job explains and builds up to how valuable and precious God's wisdom is sure shows us how important it is to chase after it. Job knows that we have an All-Knowing God, Who has reasons for everything that we endure and will make great things out of it. Job points out how God has planned paths for lightening, shows the wind how hard to blow, and He knows the outcome of our daily lives. God has this wisdom beyond comprehension that is incomparable to anything else in this world!

As Job reflects back over the good life he had before everything fell apart, I don't think it is coincidence that he prefaced this with speaking of God's wisdom and how precious it is. Job knows that God has reasons and plans for everything. Our minds can't fathom what God can do in the midst of chaos and darkness. We see how respected of a man Job was and how wonderful his life was. My question and challenge for you is this: If you had a like like Job had had before all the chaos, would your faith be as strong?

In Galatians we read about finding freedom in Christ, and allowing the Spirit to empower our lives, rather than things of this world. When we find our grace and wisdom in Christ, we gain so much. The Spirit produces good kinds of fruit, as we read - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Anything that contradicts these in this world, are not from God, as it states "there is no law against these things."

When we allow these little pieces of the world to get into our lives, they become like yeast in bread and end up saturating our lives. Developing our character from the fruits of the Spirit in every aspect of our lives can help us to gain that perspective of God. He wants every part of us.

When we open up our all to Him, we begin to saturate our lives in His wisdom, perspective and grace. We can hang onto a piece of our lives and keep it from Him, but that little piece still makes us who we are as a whole. Not giving it all over to God can cause us to miss out on the full picture of God's greatness and plan for our lives. Soak up His wisdom and live in the power of His Spirit, embracing every turn in life that can grow you.

Day 35- Humility Works

Day 35
Job 25-27, Galatians4

The opportunities to be humble throughout our readings today show us how important it is. Job's friends need to realize how far a little humility can go when they can learn to consider the situation before trying to speak their minds and fix something that isn't broken in the way they think it is. It is easy to take pride in the knowledge we have and spew it all over someone who is hurting and lost in life, but what will that really do for them?

We see how frustrated Job continues to get at his friend for not simply taking compassion on him, rather than running their mouths and making harsh assumptions. Job, we know, is a humble man. His conscience is clear because he daily brought himself to the Lord and admitted his faults and needs to Him. Does this make Job a perfect person? No. But it kept Job's pride in check as he expressed his need for the Lord daily.

In Galatians, we read about being open to the changes God wants to make in our lives. Paul speaks to the people of Galatia, urging them to change their ways. When we face accountability with a person we can trust, it takes great humility to realize the changes we need to make and to be open to being told of the changes we need to make. It is amazing the way humility can make your life so much better!

In a world full of pride and speaking one's mind, we read in God's Word that humility is key and that it works. How great can it be if we decide to set our pride aside and love people for who they are, and showing them how much we care before showing them how much we know. Being humble before God keeps us on a right path with Him, and we gain a whole different perspective of the world around us. Rather than looking at what the world owes us, we can see what we can do for the world around us to shine His Light.

Day 34 - Grace Across the Board

Day 34
Job 22-24, Galatians 3

When you view grace and God's love, do you picture it through works? Do you picture it only available to certain people? Job's friends continue on about how Job has done wrong in the Lord's sight. And while the law was a very important part of the culture at that time, Christ has died for us so that the law is no longer our primary guidance.

I don't know about you, but I would have been so done with my friends by now if I were in Job's shoes. They continue to practically say the same things over and over, claiming that Job has done evil, whether known or unknown in his sight, and this is the reason he as faced so much hardship. But once again, we know that Job has been righteous in the Lord's sight and this is from Satan's schemes. We will see the amazing work that the Lord will do in, through and for Job as we continue through his book. God's grace is not only for Job, but his friends as well, even if Job and we are annoyed with them already.

We may rely on getting God's grace through obedience to Him, but this is not how we get grace. It isn't about what we do, but what He did. God loved us so much, He provided a way around all the legalism in sacrifices and keeping every law perfectly, in sending His Son to die for us. Grace is for everyone. We don't need to keep up with it by doing all of these good things. While what we do reflects our hearts for God, it isn't the way to heaven. Accepting His grace and gift to us is our goal. The motives of our hearts will be determined through the rest.

Do you have a hard time seeing that God's grace is for all? Maybe you feel like you are unworthy, or don't fit the picture of what God is looking for in sharing His grace and love. There is good news! You don't have to clean your life up to come to Him or to walk into a church. He is ready for you NOW. His grace is available to ALL. Saying yes to Him begins a whole new road to a life full of grace, love and the ultimate satisfaction in growing in Him!