Invitation Into God's Presence; Job 33

May the mumbling commence!

How about that Elihu!  When we read the end of Job, the Lord chastises Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar.  But Elihu does not get chastised and neither does Job.  I have often wondered why.  Maybe God does not chastise Elihu because he recognizes that he is no different than Job (33:6-7).  And maybe it is because he tries to shepherd Job into an awareness of God’s presence.  God not only speaks, but God also forgives – over and over again.  Read a passage from chapter 33:

            For God does speak – now one way, now another –

                        though man does not perceive it.

            In a dream, in a vision of the night,

                        when deep sleep falls on men

                        as they slumber in their beds,

            he may speak in their ears

                        and terrify them with warnings,

            to turn man from wrongdoing

                        and keep him from pride,;

            to preserve his soul from the pit,

                        his life from perishing by the sword.

            Or a man may be chastened on a bed of pain

                        with constant distress in his bones,

            so that his very being find food repulsive

                        and his soul loathes the choicest meal.

            His flesh wastes away to nothing,

                        and his bones, once hidden, now stick out.

            His soul draws near to the pit,

                        and his life to the messengers of death.

            Yet if there is an angel on his side

                        as a mediator, one out of a thousand,

                        to tell a man what is right for him,

            to be gracious to him and say,

                        “Spare him from going down to the pit;

                        I have found a ransom for him” –

            then his flesh in renewed like a child’s

                        it is restored as in the days of his youth.

            He prays to God and finds favor with him,

                        he sees God’s face and shouts for joy;

                        he is restored by God to his righteous state.

            Then he comes to men and says,

                        “I sinned and perverted what was right,

                        but I did not get what I deserved.

            He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit,

                        and I will live to enjoy the light.”

            God does all these things to a man –

                        twice, even three times –

            to turn back his soul from the pit,

                        that the light of life may shine on him. (Verses 14-30)

Enter, once again, into the presence of the Lord.  Be aware.  God does speak – in vision and dreams.  God whispers in our ears, so we must listen intently and expectantly or we will miss His call.  Sometimes God speaks to us through our pain.  Sometimes God screams to us as we seem to approach our deathbed.  Sometimes God speaks to us through His angels, His messengers.  They will seek to protect us for the long-term.  

When this happens, when we hear God speak in any number of different ways, we must confess.  We must not only confess our shortfalls but we must also confess the greatness of God, who has redeemed us – even though we have fallen over and over again.  

Thank you, God, for the light of life that shines upon us through your Son, Jesus – whom angels proclaimed and whom the Spirit of God still proclaims this day.

Enough mumbling for now…  

Peace Out