Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:04:53 -0500
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (June 29); BP: Job 40; RBTTY: Acts 9:23-43; Job 14-16
June 29 “On Contending with God”
“Moreover the Lord answered Job and said, ‘Shall he that contends with the Almighty instruct Him? He that reproves God, let him answer it’.”
Job 40:1-2
As James Weldon Johnson, author of God’s Trombones, said “Young man, young man, your arm’s too short to box with God.”
Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, knew our tendencies to “contend with the Almighty and trying to instruct/reprove Him” by our thoughts, words and deeds. That’s why he wrote, “This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope: It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not—they are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness” (Lam. 3:21-23).
Yet, still we continue.
Like the children of Israel in the desert, murmuring and complaining about this and that, too often we inwardly shake our fists toward Heaven—demanding Almighty God to change our circumstances or give us an explanation as to why He’s allowing/causing such-and-such in our lives.
We kneel and pray, “O Lord, change so-and-so,” forgetting that we’re the ones who need changing. We fret and fume over injustices (both real and perceived) and inwardly grow bitter toward others and the One with nail scars in His Hands.
But, such should not be, Pilgrim—not when we profess to know Him as Savior and Lord. Is He not the Potter and we are the clay (Jer. 18:1-6)? Has He not promised to guide us (Prov. 3:5-6) and “work all things together for good if we love Him and are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28)?
Why, then, like some belligerent, spoiled, demanding child do we “contend (Heb. ‘ruwb’—‘to grapple with, hold a controversy, chide, complain, rebuke, strive with, etc.’) with the Almighty or seek to reprove (Heb. ‘yakach’—‘to correct, argue with, seek to justify or make right, correct, etc.’) Him?”
How we grieve His Holy Heart when we inwardly seethe with anger and say, “I don’t understand why God doesn’t do something to change this” or “I wish I’d never been born” (Job 3:11-13) or “I wish I were dead; I’m no good to God or anyone” (I Kings 1:19-4, 14).
“Be still,” Pilgrim (I Kings 19:12; Ps. 46:10).
Cease from your imaginations/speculations (II Cor. 10:5) and refocus upon the One Who endured more injustice and humiliation than we’ll ever know (Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 5:7-8; 12:2). Ever remember that it’s impossible to “know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Phil. 3:10a) without entering into “the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death” (Phil. 3:10b). If we would “reign with Him, we must also suffer with Him” (II Tim. 2:12)—knowing that one day He will “give unto a crown of righteousness” (II Tim. 4:8) and say “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Mt. 25:21).
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