This I Know

Job 19:23 "Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! 24 That they were engraved on a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever! 25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; 26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God,27 Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

I wonder what it would look like if my words were written in a book. Have you ever thought about that? (Having your words recorded for all time for all for all to read and study and meditate over?) Is that really the kind of thing you might wish for?

If all of your words were recorded, what would they look like? Would your words at church look different than your words at home? Would your words in prayer look different that your words at work? Would your words in worship look different than your words in the video store? If so, why would that be?

One of the things I admire most about Job is his honesty and integrity. It is thought by his friends Job MUST be a hypocrite - as evidenced by the fact his family and all his possessions have been taken from him, and he writhes in pain, covered by boils from head to toe. The natural assumption is he is being punished by God. Therefore since Job has always portrayed himself as a follower of God, he must have been a hypocrite all along, and God has finally had enough with his “act” and is punishing him justly.

But if you think about it, Job’s words, (that fortunately ARE recorded for us to see,) reveal Job to be anything but a hypocrite. Job is so pure in his integrity he is not only honest and up-front with his words to his friends, he is honest and up-front in his words to God. How much LESS of a hypocrite could he possibly be?

I think of the duality often evidenced by our nature. Like the book of James says, we often have blessings and cursings streaming from the same well-spring – that being our mouth. Jesus said that “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. It is not what goes into a man that defiles a man; it is what comes out of a man that defiles a man.”

If you really think about it, what would be the point of faking your words to God, since He already knows the content of your heart? Can we really praise God while at the same time holding bitter complaints against Him in our heart that He does not know of? Job never even attempts it. He knows God so well he knows he can be honest with his complaints against God, even in the midst of a situation he does not understand. Does that sound like a hypocrite? One of the things we must say about Job is that he holds back nothing – knowing there is no point in doing so. While not an enviable pattern for us to follow, it is at the very least an honest one. One thing we can be certain of – ALL our words ARE known to God.

- Pastor Bill