Lessons in Job

Job 14 & 15

Hi Friends!

I don't know about you, but sometimes Job can be hard for me to read. Reading about Job's losses, seeing his anguish through the verses, his friends being so harsh when they were trying to be supportive...

But Job is so rich with things we can learn: information about God, His throne room and His sovereignty, how to deal with suffering, how to be (or not to be) a friend to someone suffering...

In chapters 3-31 of Job, we see a back and forth discussion between Job and three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. In chapter 14, Job was responding to Zophar. He spoke of how life is fleeting and how God is in control. Job wanted death. He was at a very low point. But even in his pain, he knew God was in complete control. And in that sadness and pain, Job said:

"You will call, and I will answer You..." Job 14:15

No matter what, Job would answer God. He knew God was with him in his despair. And he was ready to respond to God when He called. Lesson: God is with us in our sufferings and we should trust in and respond to Him through the hard times.

In chapter 15, Eliphaz responded to Job. He is pretty harsh. And this certainly isn't a lesson in how to help and support friends who are suffering. But there are nuggets of truth in what he says. I read the First5 devotions from Proverbs 31 Ministries. Their devotion spoke of lessons we can learn from chapter 15, and I based some of my journaling on that.

1. Fear God & Maintain Devotion: "Indeed, you do away with reverence and hinder meditation before God." Job 18:4
2. Be wise: "Do you hear the secret counsel of God, and limit wisdom to yourself?" Job 15:8
3. Listen to your Elders: "Both the gray-haired and aged are among us, older than your father." Job 15:10

Suffering is hard. And being a good friend to someone who is suffering is hard. But God is with us through it all. We need to lean on Him, ask for His wisdom, and trust in Him.

Now for the page... I used the following Sweet n Sassy Stamps: Awesome Thoughts, Mini Grunge Type Alpha, Sing Loud, Send Me, Classy Script Alpha.

 

I used the Sing Loud set to make the word "You" on the first page. I inked the "Y" from "glory" and the "OU" from "loud". You can do this to make different words and that makes the set more versatile. To mask the letters you don't want to ink, just place a sticky note over those letters, ink the stamp, then pull off the sticky note. I used Prismacolor pencils to color in the images, and a Micron pen to draw the phone and some lettering.

I hope you have a blessed week! Andrea