Devotion Acts 7.1-51 Irrefutable Defense Part 3

Acts 7:1-51 / 6-7 – God spoke to him in this way: ‘For four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated. 7 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.’

Sometimes when we are in the midst of trials, we can “feel” very alone.  Some may wonder “Where is God now?  Didn’t He promise to always be with me?”  (Matthew 28:20)  Sometimes when we are going through the fiery furnaces of our life, when life seems too much to handle, we look around ourselves and feel like we woke up and everything and everyone who was with us is gone.  It is possible to ask God “Where are you now?  As I look around I don’t see any evidence of You around.”  In the depth of hard circumstances, some may accuse God of not being aware of our situation and if He is aware of our situation, how could we possibly deserve our situation?  We cry out to God that we have served Him the best we can and so why has God allowed what has come upon us to come upon us? 

Job was a righteous man who went through the toughest of circumstances, and yielded only a little to complaining about his circumstances.  He complained to God that he did not deserve what had befallen him.  Therefore since God is in control and Job thought he did not deserve what he was going through, then God was either mistaken or had not been just with Job.  God responded to Job “Would you discredit my justice?  Would you condemn me to justify yourself?” (Job 40:8)  Family, God did not cut Job slack and say to him “Well, it’s okay, you’re only human.”  No, rather, out of His love for Job, He challenged Job.  Job was putting up his righteousness against God’s righteousness.  Job had said of his own righteousness “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)  He, after being pushed very hard by his “comforters” was reacting.  Still, after all that Job had suffered through, and all that he was still enduring, when Job wondered where God was, God reveals that He was always with Job.  After all, when Job complained, God heard it.  God heard everything that Job had ever said and saw all that he had ever done.  The Lord knew all that Job would say, all the things he would do before the galaxies were ever created. 

In Job 1 God says that Job lived a righteous life and was very complete (among mankind) in his walk with God.  God loved Job and was proud to let the devil know how much He loved him and how proud He was of him. So, if anyone up to that time would have been allowed to complain about circumstances it sure would seem that Job was that person.  However, even though Job only murmured about his circumstances God was quick to call Job out.  He reminded Job that he did not know the future plans of God and that He could not comprehend the entirety of God’s work and plans.  No man has the right to question the goodness of God.  Really, we shouldn’t even travel that road, though many will.  Praise God for His grace to us.  Since we know God is infinitely above us, that His self and His ways are beyond our comprehension, why would we think that we are able to judge whether anything that happens to us as good or bad.  If a person that we love dies, do we know all, yes all, the ramifications of that person’s death?  If God’s name is glorified by our death, do we think that an unworthy reason for our death?  If we suffer extreme hardship, but the name of God is glorified as the faith of another is built as we praise God through the hardship, is that okay with us?  In light of the fact that Jesus gave up all for us, what is it that is too much for us endure for Him?  We must remember that for Job being “only human” was not an excuse, even for this man who so sought after and so pleased God, to complain. 

God always knew and always was aware of everything that Job went through.  God was and is always knowing everything that Israel has went through and is going through.  God said to His beloved Israel that He was watching and that those who harmed Israel would suffer His wrath.  All that Israel went through, all that they go through, God sees and allows.  Though they may not have understood, and though they may not now understand, they one day will know Jesus as their Savior and Lord and then they will understand.  In fact, they will gladly, at that time, give up all, even their only lives, should the Lord demand it.  The future love and dedication of Israel is an example for us today.  How God loves and watches over them He also loves and watches over us.  Family, let’s be willing to give up all for God should that be His will.  Let us, who know that God knows all and that we don’t, and who know that Jesus suffered and died for us, let us let the blessing of knowing that God is good all the time, that He loves us, and that He at all times is able whatever the circumstance, believe in Him.  May we do so with all our hearts, all our minds, all our souls and all our strength (Mark 12:30)  Let’s never waver in our belief.  May our trust in Him be infinitely deeper than any trust we have in our own intellect and reasoning.  If we so commit ourselves, the peace of God will reign in all circumstances.  It is not that a punch in the nose does not hurt, it is that a punch in the nose cannot steal the peace of God from us.  Praise our God who watches over and protects us and who has already provided the final victory for us.  May we walk in the knowledge and the peace of the work of Jesus who is the only Way, the only Truth and the only Life.  Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!