The Joy of Glory

Job 2:7-10
So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Reflection
Satan struck Job.

Yet, Job spoke of receiving evil from God.

And… “In all this Job did not sin with his lips.”

So, who struck Job? From where did the evil come? Satan or God? Scripture simply answer is “yes.” But, this is far from simple.

What Job recognizes is that God is sovereign over all… even Satan and evil. There is nothing that befalls Job which somehow escapes the sovereignty of God. However, this does not make God morally culpable for evil! Job’s assumption is that God has good purposes behind all that he is allowing to befall him. It is to be received without cursing God, for God is at work for good.

Satan is at work for evil! Satan is at work to destroy Job’s faith and defame God. Yet, God is at work to establish Job’s faith for the fame of his name.

In the same event, Satan is at work for evil and God is at work for glory and good.

This is true all over the Bible and it is true in all the evil that befalls you. Evil is evil and can be called such. When you experience pain, suffering, and wickedness… you can talk about how Satan and others are at work to destroy your faith. You can denounce evil as evil.

But at the same time, we do not despair! For… we know that God is sovereign, and he is at work in the same events for his glory and our ultimate good!

So, we can look at every ounce of evil that comes our way and confidently say, “This doesn’t win! God wins!” Evil doesn’t get the final word, our great-sovereign-God works all things together for the good of those who love him!

I can receive what he is graciously doing in me even through the most painful of my days! I can receive “evil” from the Lord, knowing that he is sovereign over it, in it, and through it for glory and good.

Just look at the cross.

The crucifixion of the sinless son of God is the greatest act of evil that has ever happened. Simultaneously it is the greatest act for God’s glory and our good. If God was sovereign there for his great purposes, then truly he is sovereign everywhere.

Truly we can say with Job, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

Proverbs 3:19-26 (click here)
The LORD by wisdom founded the earth…

My son, do not lose sight of these—keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck.

Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.
(Proverbs 3 selected verses)

Reflection
When sudden terror strikes… what is your foundation… your anchor… your solid rock?

When the wicked close in around you with words or wounds… to what or whom do you turn?

When all around your soul gives way… who is all your hope and stay?

Solomon says we have one confidence that will keep us from being caught in the snares of terror… the Lord himself! He is our foundation, our anchor, our rock, all our hope and stay to whom we turn.

And Solomon emphasizes why we can have such confidence in God amidst such trying situations. “The LORD by wisdom founded the earth.”

Sovereignty.

Solomon tells us not to lose sight of God’s sovereignty as the one who made all and rules over all. Sovereignty is the very truth that often causes us to struggle when the wicked strike and prosper. We are left asking why the Lord doesn’t do something because we know he can.

And yet…

The very truth that causes us to question, is also the rock-solid foundation of our hope. For if God is sovereign, then he can keep all his promises, and he has promised that terror and the wicked do not win in the end. They will not last. They will meet their end when he brings redemption to completion! So, we have confidence because we do not lose sight of our sovereign God.

No matter how dark the terror of the wicked may seem… the light of the Sovereign God pierces the night with a beam of hope that will one day shine in full strength as the sun of victory.

Christian… do not be afraid… do not lose sight of your sovereign God… HE is your confidence!

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

Psalm 69:1-14 (click here)
I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.

…zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness. Deliver me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.
(Psalm 69:3, 9, and 13-14)

Reflection
Waiting.

We are not a people who like waiting. Is anyone?

I’m inclined to think that no generation has ever been especially keen when it comes to patience. In fact, I think that impatience has often been the mother of innovation. We want things quicker, faster… now.

Waiting on God is particularly difficult. And this is true because of who we know God to be. He is love, he is kind, he is good, he is glorious, he is… he is… he is…

And yet so often we must wait for him. Have faith in him. We must trust that he is at work even when we cannot see it or perhaps when everything around us tempts us to believe the exact opposite!

We are not the first generation of Christians to feel this way! The Psalmist himself has grown weary crying out to God… so much so that his throat is parched! Have you ever prayed until your throat ran dry and your voice began to crack?

And the reason the psalmist is in such dire straits only serves to compound his confusion. It is because he is zealous for the Lord and his house that he finds himself an object of ridicule. People who hate God hate him too!

This has brought about much hurt and suffering in the psalmists’ life. He feels as though he is drowning… all the while waiting on the Lord to life him up to walk on the water. Where is his savior?

The temptation here is to let his impatience be the mother of innovation. To make a move to save himself, defend himself against his enemies, fight and fix the situation. Think about Abraham and Sarah and God’s promise to give them a son. Their impatience led to innovation… perhaps we can figure out a way for God to keep his promise quicker… perhaps God needs our help.

Yet, the psalmists does not give in to the temptation for innovation. “But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.”

He waits.

He trusts.

He puts his faith in the God who is faithful, even when he cannot see that faithfulness coming to fruition.

Wherever you are… whatever your waiting looks like… wait in faith. Trust his faithfulness. Trust him.

Wait.

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.