Sunday Scripture

 

Time for another Sunday Scripture!  This is part of an ongoing series on my simple study of Rachel Wojo's Everything Beautiful.  You can read about the plan here if you are interested in it for yourself: Everything Beautiful Bible reading plan. My answers and input on this series are a combination of what I learned back in 2018, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm attempting to SOAP the passages too, though some of them are longer. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Today's study is from Job 5:8-18.  

S= "I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:
"Who doeth great things and unsearchable; marvelous things without number;
"Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields,
"To set up on high those that are low, that those who mourn may be exalted to safety.
"He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.
"He taketh the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the clever is carried headlong.
"They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night.
"But He saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
"So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.
"Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore, despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty;
"For He maketh sore, and bindeth up: He woundeth, and His hands make whole.  (Job 5:8-18)

O= C.I. Scofield titles this chapter, "Eliphaz continues: God is faithful."  As you may remember, Eliphaz the Temanite was one of Job's supposed friends who "made an appointment to come to mourn with [Job] and to comfort him".  In truth, a lot of their time with Job was spent lecturing him.

Here in Job 5, Eliphaz says he would seek unto God and would commit his cause unto God.  He then begins to describe God:

* God does great, unsearchable things
* He does numberless, marvelous things
* He gives rain upon the fields
* He sends water upon the earth
* He sets those who are low, on high
* He takes those who mourn and exalts them to safety
* He disappoints the devices of the crafty, so their hands cannot perform what they've planned
* He captures the wise in their own craftiness
* He carries the counsel of the clever headlong
* He causes wicked people to meet with darkness in the daytime, groping at noon as if it were night
* So the poor have hope, and the mouth of iniquity is stopped
* The man God corrects is happy
* Thus, we must not despise chastening from the Almighty
* God makes sore, yet binds up
* God wounds, yet His hands make whole again.

Cross-reference for "giveth rain upon the earth" (v.10) -- "When He made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder."  (Job 28:26)

Cross-reference for "wise" (v.13) -- "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.  For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness."  (1 Corinthians 3:19)

Cross-reference for "saveth the poor" (v.15) -- "All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like Thee, who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy, from him that spoileth him?"  (Psalm 35:10)

Cross-references for "so the poor hath hope" (v.16) -- "He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the refuse, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory; for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and He hath set the earth upon them."  (1 Samuel 2:8)

"Yet setteth He the poor on high from affliction, and maketh their families like a flock.  The righteous shall see it, and rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop her mouth."  (Psalm 107:41-42)

Cross-references for "Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth" (v.17) -- "Blessed is the man whom Thou chasteneth, O LORD, and teachest him out of Thy law."  (Psalm 94:10)

"My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD, neither be weary of his correction; For whom the LORD loveth He correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth."  (Proverbs 3:11-12)

"And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto sons, My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him; For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." (Hebrews 12:6-7)

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him."  (James 1:12)

Cross-references for "For He maketh sore" (v.18) -- "See now that I, even I, am He; and there is no god with Me; I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand."  (Deuteronomy 32:39)

"The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich; He bringeth low, and lifteth up."  (1 Samuel 2:7)

"Come, and let us return unto the Lord; for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up."  (Hosea 6:1)

A= For this Scripture, there were a number of ways to apply it as prompted in the journal.  

"I cannot count all God's marvelous things." -- Rachel Wojo

This thought of course fits with verse 9, which reminds us that God does great, unsearchable things, "marvelous things without number."  It also brought to my mind Psalm 40, verse 5:

"Many, O LORD my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done, and Thy thoughts which are toward us: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto Thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered."

 

Rachel also shares a "focus word" in each of the devotional pages.  For this lesson the focus word is "beyond". I noted that all God's marvelous things, and His thoughts toward us, are beyond my ability to count them.

The question was asked: What season or circumstance of life challenges me to see God's gifts of beauty?

My response in 2018: I'm still in this season of recovering from injuries received in a fall.  Pain and discomfort definitely challenge me to see God's gifts of beauty or even to see beyond my own situation.

Answering this same question in 2024: Seasons of discouragement can cause our view of God's beauty to dim.  I'm thankful for a study like this one that helps me stay focused on God.

This prompt was given, along with a list: Today I will keep my eyes open for God's beauty in one or more of these places.

These are the places I circled: The words I read; the places I go; the music I hear; the people I encounter; the air I breathe; the weather I experience; the rest I receive.

In 2024 I can note that for the places I go, a friend gave us the opportunity to visit some remote property he owns not far from us.  It was like being in another world, a simpler, more beautiful one.  We saw a bear and cub, many beautiful flowers, trees, and distant mountains.

 
For the music I hear, I mentioned the beautiful voices of a choir of college students singing at our church on Sunday, and the lovely violin accompaniment.

 
For the rest I receive, I noted how we sleep so well at our little cottage.  Now that June has arrived, we are spending 3 or 4 nights a week there.  It's a wonderful way to relax and unplug.

A journaling prompt was this:  List one or more ideas to remind myself to intentionally look for God's beauty throughout the day.

My response in 2018: Walk on the porch.  Soak up any available sunshine.  Notice God's beauty in the color and form of everyday objects.

For my response in 2024, I added: When we stay at our cottage, lift my eyes to the morning light as I walk to and from the outdoor shower.  Pay attention to what flowers, wild and otherwise, are currently blooming.  Seek to identify unfamiliar bird songs.

P= "Lord, I'm so thankful for the beauty of Your Word.  I especially enjoy the poetic yet practical language in the book of Job.  I'm thankful that we can commit our cause to You -- the One who does great, unsearchable, marvelous things -- far too many to count!  What an amazing privilege we have to be in relationship with the God of the universe!   I praise You in Jesus' name , Amen."

 And there is this week's Sunday Scripture!  I pray it's a blessing to someone.