Day 144, or May 24. The next move is yours. Our thoughts today are rooted in Job chapter
22 verse 23. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored, if you remove wickedness
far from your tent.
First the big picture surrounding this verse. They keep coming, and Job keeps protesting
his innocence. His friend Eliphaz returns for a third time to try, as he sees it, to
sort Job out. He has some wonderful things to say, including a reassuring thought that
if you pray to God, He will hear you. This was a particularly pertinent comment at this
time in Job's life, because he was sure that no one was listening. Job's response
was significant too. He says that he knows he will survive as a better, purer, and more
wholesome person. After his torment and struggle, he will be as pure gold. This was an outstanding
statement in the days when gold was the mark of stability, perfection, and wealth. Job
was convinced that he would be a shining example in the midst of impurity and squalor.
And now our action step for today. It is often in the darkest periods of our lives that we
are given assurances from the least expected source. Eliphaz, who has annoyed Job on previous
occasions, comes to him now and tells him that if he returns to God, then he will be
restored. Coming to God for the first time is usually an invigorating experience of coming
out of darkness into a marvelous light. However, when we have done it before, at the back of
our minds, we wonder if God will believe us this time. This is a perfect scenario for
the devil. And if we return to the Lord more than twice in our lives, then this self-doubt
can become even more insidious. Be sure today that when we return to him, we will be restored.
But the order is important. We have to return to him in repentance and faith before the
restoration can take place. But we have God's written guarantee that it will. There's no
time like the present to take this vital step forward. So what are you waiting for?