Job's final rebuttal goes on for 3 chapters. I need to note this because today's words are only one-third of his speech, the first act of his 3-Act soliloquy.
Job begins by lamenting the loss of his past. His is a dramatic loss. Once, the venerable sage of the community, people looked up to him and hung on his every word. Now he is discarded to the dung heap. He is forgotten and worse, despised.
Although there is truly no comparison, Job's life is shattered by disaster. As I age I long for some of the years gone by when my body did things it no longer does. A few weeks ago we had a work day at our church, spring cleaning the yard after winter. As we were setting up one fellow who is in his mid 60s commented to me, "You know I just can't work like I used to. I used to be able to keep going and work all day. Now I get tired and some days after a long morning of work I take a nap in the afternoon."
I responded, "Yeah, I can't work as fast and long as I used to either."
Some days gone by can never be retrieved. And while we can miss those years, if we live looking back, we miss the God reflections in our present time.
I get that my thoughts today push beyond the natural boundaries of Job's words. Still I linger. Talking with the Lord about my present life and the ways I can appreciate things rather than long for some other era/period in my own life.
Living in the present and making the most of it… this is what God asks of us.
I find myself thanking the Lord for the opportunity to live… to live for Him.
Oh, Lord, I need your strength and your power to be a difference maker for Jesus. To affect the world for good and for You, help me, Holy Spirit, to follow Your lead. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment