Labor to be Better

Labor day weekend ! Back to school ! Already? Where did the summer go?  Well I suppose we can complain or look forward to what God has in store: our two basic options !!    So how was your summer? What are some positive things about it as you look back on it?  What did you learn about God and His Word?  What life lessons did He take you through then? What reminders were reinforced in your mind? Is there something which really encouraged or challenged you from something you learned at church the past few months?

We’ve been going through Job this summer in our midweek services and there were wonderful refreshers for me as I prepared the messages and studied again that great book of Scripture.  All in all, the lesson He has shown me is to let Him be Him !    So many times we want to take the reins and go our way.  We get hurt and we want to respond in kind to those who have hurt us, we want to withdraw when someone at church offends us and fail to see perhaps all the wonderful things about them because we’re so focused on the one or two times they let us down. But Job had learned that God is in control and what He has said must be our guide no matter what befalls us.    While it was true Job was a man “perfect (spirituallly mature not sinless) and upright” (Job 1:1) he was also in need of regular repentance as a sinner saved by grace which is why the Lord had to ask him, “Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?”  (38:2) for speaking foolishly in reaction to his trials just as we sometimes do the same when we get hurt.    Job finally came to the realization, “I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth Thee.” (42:5).   Through time and trials God was becoming more God to Job !

Ups and downs will occur as we live amongst sinners, time will fly, seasons will come and go but through it all it is vital we see God more and more and allow Him to have the place in our lives He desires: first place !!  It is then we will become less bitter and more and more better !!