Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God and Sarcastic Job (9/5/24)

After the rebuke of his third friend, Job had enough! He responded with sarcasm.

 Job 12:1-4 Then Job replied:

² “Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
    and wisdom will die with you!
³ But I have a mind as well as you;
    I am not inferior to you.
    Who does not know all these things?

⁴ “I have become a laughingstock to my friends,
    though I called on God and he answered—
    a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!

 Job sarcastically pointed out to his friends that they were not the only ones who knew anything. He then firmly (and without sarcasm) told them they weren’t superior. He acknowledged that God had answered his prayers. He knew God heard him and had responded, even if he didn’t get his desired outcome. He also went on to declare God’s sovereignty.

Job 12:13-17      “To God belong wisdom and power;
    counsel and understanding are his.
¹⁴ What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
    those he imprisons cannot be released.
¹⁵ If he holds back the waters, there is drought;
    if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.
¹⁶ To him belong strength and insight;
    both deceived and deceiver are his.
¹⁷ He leads rulers away stripped
    and makes fools of judges.

Even the most humanly wise person can be foolish. Job’s friends were probably some of the most prominent people of his day, and yet they were grossly ignorant. Job knew only God was all-knowing. Thankfully, Job didn’t base his understanding of God on the “wise” or foolish people around him. Job knew God is in ultimate control of the rise and fall of anyone, any nation or anything.

As you and I interact with those around us, let’s remember that only God is all-knowing, sovereign and fully trustworthy. Even the smartest people around us can be ludicrous, like Job’s friends. The next time you and I are wrongly accused, we can cling to what is true about God.

Thursday Devotional - Wrongfully Accused

Have you ever been wrongfully accused? If so, what did you do about it?

Joe was pulled over by a policeman who thought he was on the “wanted” list. Joe wasn’t speeding or anything but his old Acura looked similar to the car the “wanted” man drove. After talking to Joe for a while, the policeman realized he had the wrong guy.  

Jesus was wrongfully accused many times, arrested and never released. It amazes me how calm He was throughout all the accusations and abuse.

John 18:19-24         ¹⁹ Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. ²⁰ “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. ²¹ Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

²² When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

²³ “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” ²⁴ Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.       

The high priest and religious leaders were to love and serve God with their whole heart! However, it’s obvious many of them were far from being in tune with God’s will and plans.

Have you been wrongfully accused within the Church? If so, how did you handle it? Did you retaliate, take revenge, or shun all those in the church?  Or, did you look for God to bring good from the situation and increase your trust in Him as your defender?

God may use the situation to direct you and me to a different local church or He may help us and the other member learn some valuable lessons. However God uses it, He can grow us through the difficult situation. We aren’t to abandon God and the Church. What if Jesus had given up when wrongfully accused?

Alice