"Oh, that I might have my request,
That God would grant me the thing that I long for!
That it would please God to crush me,
That He would loose His hand and cut me off!
Then I would still have comfort;
Though in anguish I would exult,
He will not spare;
For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.—Job 6:8-10
The one thing that Job longed for God withheld…death. As I read through the book of Job, I am very glad that I know the end of his story. Chapter 42:12 tells us that the Lord blessed Job’s latter days more than his beginning. When I look back on my own past prayers, there are some I am very glad God didn’t answer in the affirmative. I see that God’s “no’s” were filled with His wisdom, knowledge and lovingkindness. My knowledge is limited and my frame is weak. Thinking of these verses from Romans 8 here:
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
And these from Romans 11:
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
"For who has known the mind of the LORD?
Or who has become His counselor?"
"Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?"
For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
Job did not understand the why’s of what was happening to him and for the most part, neither do we as we go through the variegated trials of this life. Beloved…when your prayers don’t seem to be answered…REJOICE and be exceedingly glad…God is on the throne. He has a plan for your life that rivals anything you could possibly imagine. Surrender and give Him full sway. Be willing to “live” for Him in the hard and the difficult times as much as you want to live and not die when things are all going your way. Surely goodness and mercy will follow you (they will hunt you down…you cannot outrun them) and you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The end for you as a child of God is good…heaven awaits.
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."—Revelation 21:
Praying today…that when I pray…it will not be a time of directing God but a time of communion with my Father in Heaven…an opportunity to spend time with Him, to turn my heart upside down before Him and to become more like Him.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.—2 Corinthians 3:18
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.—Ephesians 3:14-19
