- God has cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes. I cry to you for help and you do not answer me; I stand, and you only look at me. You have turned cruel to me; with the might of your hand you persecute me (Job 30:19-21).
- Job goes too far again, accusing God of being cruel and persecuting him.
- God is good and loving. God is just. God executes justice and wrath, but His wrath is never for His children.
- God hears and answers the prayers of His children. That doesn’t mean there is never a delay or that the answer isn’t different than we expected or hoped for.
- When Lazarus was sick, Mary and Martha believed Jesus could heal him. They called to Jesus for help. Jesus delayed. Lazarus died. That’s where Job is in the story. Can you trust God enough to “see” the end of the story, at least to believe that He’s working out a glorious ending to the story?
- God is not who throws us into the mire or the ashes. He is the one who lifts us up out of them though. That’s our God.
- Psalms 40:1 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
- Psalms 113:5-8 Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.
- God sees us and hears our prayers.
- Psalms 33:13 The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man.
- Psalms 4:3 But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.
- We need to know our God, so we can wait patiently with joy and expectation!
