By Pastor Brian K. Brown, St. Mark M.B. Church
Scripture: Job 13:15
Once again Pastor Brown led us to familiar scripture in the book of Job. The main verse was Job 13:15. Additionally, he used scripture from other chapters to show us that the answer to the question ‘Can God be Trusted in Troubled Times’ is yes.
Job was a man who worshipped, worked and walk with the Lord. The Lord allowed his life to be an epic picture of all that will go on in our lives. Job woke up one morning to an unusual day. Normality left him with news of loss of livestock that had been taken then news of the deaths of all his children. Job had been a good man, loved the Lord, worshipped and served the Lord, loved his neighbors and prayed for his enemies. The question is asked how a man who served God and attempted to do good could be struck with loss of everything even health? Job is in a challenged place and like Job we ask why the evil that falls upon us happens when we’re trying to do good?
Pastor Brown reminded us of a song from 1971 by Marvin Gaye that asks, ‘What’s Going On’. From the lyrics of the song we see that the things going on then are the same things that are happening now. The song title is still relevant today – What’s Going On?
The text of Job is important to us because people of God are being challenged on every side, pushed to a breaking point but can we say with the confidence Job made in chapter 13:15, even though it’s not going my way, all the troubles and struggles we’re going through God can be trusted. Again, the answer to the question is yes. No matter how troubled we are God can be trusted. The text says to us that our days are not as bad as Job’s as he lost everything in one day. We may have a loss, but Job lost everything in one day and still he said ‘though he slay me, I still trust God.
Pastor Brown gave three reasons God can be trusted. The first – God controls the trouble. From Chapter 1:6-12. The text tells us that all the angelic beings appeared unto God and Satan came also. God asked Satan if he had considered his servant Job. Satan responded that he would, but God had a hedge around him and all that he had. God consented to removal of the hedge from everything Job had but not Job himself. We see from the text that God controlled the trouble that came unto Job. We are reminded that God will never put more on us than we can bear. When there’s trouble in our lives, God can be trusted. If trouble is at our door, God knows we can handle it. Job says I don’t like what’s going on in my life, but I trust God because he knew God controlled the trouble. Troubled times don’t surprise God. Troubles may be tools to get us to our expected end.
From Job 6:8-10, the second point: God comforts during our trouble. Job says that he wished God would end his life, but he had confidence of comfort coming from God in his trouble. Job reminds us that the trouble didn’t come to destroy but to develop, it didn’t come to cancel life but to elevate it. God is doing a good work, so we are to hang in there and hold on. Hope, help and healing are on the way. We need to wait on God who is always on time.
Finally, the third point from Job 14:14 – God can change trouble. Sometimes God will remove the trouble, other times He will comfort in the trouble but sometimes He will change the trouble. Can we say as Job proclaimed, all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. God doesn’t allow bad for our lives, but He allows us to exercise our own volition. He expects us to live right and act right with each other. God respects our choices. It’s up to us to follow God’s model. Times are tough and troublesome and we are trying to do what’s right and we wonder why all the wrong keeps happening but know that God can be trusted because he has control over our trouble, He can comfort in the trouble and He can change trouble. Trust God to show us He’s in control, He will bring comfort and change. Don’t weary as we wait on the Lord.
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