Christianity Oasis Forum

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TUESDAY JANUARY 26


WHEN QUESTIONS REMAIN

READ:
Job 23:10
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He knows the
way that I take.
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On October 31, 2014, an experimental spacecraft broke apart during a test flight and crashed into the Mojave desert. The copilot died while the pilot miraculously survived. Investigators soon determined what had happened, but not why. The title of a newspaper article about the crash began with the words "Questions remain."

Throughout life we may experience sorrows for which there are no adequate explanations. Some are catastrophic events with far-reaching effects while others are personal, private tragedies that alter our individual lives and families. We want to know why, but we seem to find more questions than answers. Yet even as we struggle with "Why?" God extends His unfailing love to us.

When Job lost his children and his wealth in a single day (JOB 1:13-19), he sank into an angry depression and resisted any attempted explanations by his friends. Yet he held out hope that someday there would be an answer from God. Even in the darkness Job could say, "[God] knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold" (23:10).

Oswald chambers said, "There will come one day a personal and direct touch from God when every tear and perplexity, every oppression and distress, every suffering and pain, and wrong and injustice will have a complete and ample and overwhelming explanation."

'Today as we face life's unanswered questions, we can find help and hope in God's love and promises. ____David McCasland

****When we face unanswered questions, we find help and hope in God's love.

***********************Today's Bible Reading __ Job 23:1-12***********************
1 Then Job replied:

2 "Even today my complaint is bitter; His hand is heavy
in spite of my groaning. 3 If only I knew where to find
Him; if only I could go to His dwelling! 4 I would state my
case before him and fill my mouth with arguments. 5 I would
find out what He would answer me, and consider what He would
say to me. 6 Would He vigorously oppose me? No, He would not
press charges against me. 7 There the upright can establish their
innocence before Him, and there I would be delivered forever
from my judge.

8 "But if I go to the east, He is not there; if I go to the west,
I do not find him. 9 When He is at work in the north, I do not
see Him; when He turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him.

10 But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me,
I will come forth as gold. 11 My feet have closely followed his
steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. 12 I have not
departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the
words of His mouth more than my daily bread."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
The date and author of the book of Job is
unknown. Some scholars suggest that Job lived at about the
same time as Abraham and that Moses is the author. When Job's
three friends heard about his sufferings (JOB 1-2), they offered an
explanation. Over three runs of debate (JOB 4-14; 15-21; 22-27) they
argued with Job that suffering is always a result of sin (4:7-9; 8:4-7).
Rejecting their explanations, Job sought to find an answer directly
from God (23:1-5). At a time when Job needed Him most, God
was seemingly absent (vv.8-9). Yet despite the silence and lack of
answers, job entrusted himself to God's ways and drew strength
from God's Word (vv. 10-12). __Sim Kay Tee