Santa Cruz, California, October 28th, 2014

Santa Cruz, California, October 28th, 2014

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

The last verses of Job...

Have you ever wanted to change your name to Job and just give up?
Just turf it all and go live in a box and be left alone because, well, life has sucked you dry and what's the point anyway?
All the hurt just keeps piling on and along the way, life just changed the definition of "all" to "some with more on the way".
And where is God? Where is a respite? Where is a moment of mercy when the sky is falling, the earth is crumbling, and there seems to be no hope in sight?
While my life is not like that, I know that some of my friends do live in that Job-zone.

Job was a man who loved God. If you know your Bible, God allowed the enemy to destroy Job's world. I do not understand WHY or HOW this happened, but through it all, Job stayed faithful.

Lately, while my life has been great, a few things have nudged me too hard. 
And then over the weekend, my left ankle started to HURT. 
I went to the ER last night. 
They did x-rays.
Apparently, there's either a stress fracture, or a bout of "agitated arthritis" in there. Whatever it is, it HURTS.
Pitypartypitypartypityparty.

I have a 3 week trip coming up and it includes a very important conference and a research trip to New Mexico, and then one in Texas.

But, umm, Lord? I'm in pain down here...

This morning, I read the very last verse of Job. I read the verses before then end, but this is what it said at the
very end:
 "And then he died, an old man who lived a long life."

Not "he was bitter to the end" or "he did curse God and die, and what a buzzkill" or even "Job died alone and miserable".

It tells us that he lived a long life. That his family was important to him. He even left an inheritance to his daughters. Which, yeah, was a huge deal in those days.

But, despite all that happened to him, he lived. 
Not, endured.
Not, survived.
Not, crawled to the edge and jumped off.

With what God restored to him, Job lived.

I need to remember to live through this minor bout of nothing serious, and not dwell on the ways to endure the drama.
To count my blessings, which are many.
To be a good steward of what God has given me and not dwell on what I don't have.
To be thankful, to live thankfully.
To live!!

So, sore feet or not, onward and upward.

www.weheartit.com


I'll see you all in a few weeks!
And then? I have a HUGE announcement!!!

2 comments:

  1. Great reminder for me to keep things in perspective. It's only human nature to struggle with physical discomfort. I'm quite sure I would have given up long before the boils appeared ;) I'm so excited for your upcoming research trip. You'll be in my prayers that the discomfort will lesson and you can focus on your work. Looking forward to some pics when you return.

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  2. Love this! While our lives don't have the same plot line as Job's, we so often feel like Job. Thank you for the beautiful big picture reminder of Job's life at the end. It's wonderful encouragement for the days when life 'nudges us too hard.' (Love that line!)

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