Man, who is born of a woman,
is of few days, and full of trouble.
He grows up like a flower, and is cut down.
He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.
Job 14:1-2
Job’s pains go on and on, full of trouble as the good years are remembered no more.
This is the curse we experience because of the choice of the first man and woman. A woman heeded the smooth words of the fallen angel. God’s word was disobeyed and sin entered the world. Adam and Eve were thrust out of the Garden lest they eat of the fruit and live forever. So we are “of few days, and full of trouble.”
Then another woman entered the scene. She heard the glad tidings of the angel of God. She responded, “Behold, the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to Your word.” With her submission to God, a new era was ushered in.
Do you open your eyes on such a one,
and bring me into judgment with you?
Job 14:3
Job is suffering. He doesn’t know why God has him in His sights. He doesn’t know why his cattle were stolen away, fire consumed his sheep and servants, a wind knocked down the house in which his children were eating and killed them all. Job doesn’t know why his own body was attacked with pustulating sores covering every square inch.
“Why do I suffer? Why is there such evil? Why, God?”
The Son that came from Mary’s womb would come to be known as the Man of Sorrows, acquainted with grief, in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah. Far from being disinterested on His throne, the Mighty God entered into the suffering of humanity, being clothed with flesh and blood. And in His suffering we saw the love of God touching human lives.
The Creator, who flung billions of galaxies across the heavens with a single command, opens His eyes upon this solitary world. He stoops and beholds the sons of men, then gifts His Son to walk in our midst.
Jesus roamed a world of suffering, of unrest, pride, murder, scheming; amongst the deaf, blind, leprous, and demon-possessed. The people who sat in darkness saw a great light as the Light of the World walked among them. God in the flesh was a very present help in trouble.
God in Christ opened His eyes to us. But not to bring judgment on us. He did not come “to condemn the world, but that world might be saved by Him.”
The judgment that belonged to us fell on the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He suffered the unfair courtrooms of wicked men. He was beaten, beard torn out, spit upon, flogged, and bore a cross up a dreadful hill.
The darkness deepened as the sun hid its eyes. He was alone, abandoned, jeered, rejected, disbelieved, dishonored, wounded. (Have we not suffered these things?) Our God understood suffering. The Son of God, crucified, tasted death for every man. The judgment lowered Him into a grave that grace may lift us up.
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
Not one.
Job 14:4
Can a leopard change its spots? No, but through the saving work of Jesus Christ we can be born again. Through faith in Him we can have our sins rolled away, the slate wiped clean. A clear song replaces the thundering of a grieving conscience.
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new. Who can bring a clean thing out of the unclean? God can. He can replace our filthy rags with robes of righteousness, the shackles of sin for a ring of fellowship. The curse is replaced with blessing and death gives way to life.
Seeing his days are determined,
the number of his months is with you,
and you have appointed his bounds that he can’t pass
Job 14:5
Our days in this life are indeed limited. None of us are promised a tomorrow. So we pray with the psalmist, “Lord, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” God in His sovereignty has set limits. He has set a day when He will judge the whole of mankind by the incomparable Son of Man.
And in our free will we may choose to surrender to Him and say, “Lord, thank You for dying for me. Forgive my sins against You, for they are many. Prepare my life for that coming day that I may appear before You without spot or blemish or any such thing, ready to give an account of my life with love and joy.”
Or with the same free will, we may not.
For there is hope for a tree if it is cut down,
that it will sprout again,
that the tender branch of it will not cease.
Though its root grows old in the earth,
and its stock dies in the ground,
yet through the scent of water it will bud,
and sprout boughs like a plant.
Job 14:7-9
There is hope that we who are bowed down with fears and quiet desperation may rise again. As a dormant tree may bud anew when the barren culvert flows with rushing water, so we may be renewed by the living water of God’s word.
The desert places will flow with streams that gladden the heart, streams of God’s faithfulness and gracious help, giving abundant life and assurance of love to all who confess faith in Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, who worship the Creator in spirit and in truth.
Come away from the news and rest awhile. Fill your heart with God’s healing words until the Daystar begins to dawn. Reach out your hand to lift your neighbor with the love of God.
A new Garden is coming, with trees of life for the healing of nations. A new Ruler is coming who will take His throne and usher in righteousness. The earth will be full of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
And evil and suffering and death will be banished forever.
In the meantime, take stock. Under Joseph’s leadership as second-in-command to Pharaoh, they saved up food during the seven years of plenty to prepare for the seven years of famine. What were you doing before this crisis? For there will always be another crisis.
Store up in your heart sound words of wisdom, ready to call them to mind, memorized words of God’s faithfulness and care.
Pray daily, letting fellowship with God for all your needs and wants be a priority and a joy (instead of a last-ditch effort when things go wrong).
Worship Him who is God from everlasting to everlasting, and honor Him in holiness. Sing in His presence, then you’ll find a reason to sing no matter what.
This crisis is not your first rodeo. But through these steps given, may the next trial find your faith rooted in Christ and God in you. May you find yourself an example, not of a few days full of trouble, but of an everlasting life full of assurance in His love.
