Monday, January 12, 2015

Mon.’s Devo - The Foolish Words of Elihu

Read: Job 32-34
Elihu is the young man who has listened to the whole conversation and because of his youth stayed silent. He should have kept silent. Elihu is mad at Job because he justified himself and his friends because they condemned Job. Elihu sounds like a hard person to please. He spends the first part of his speech convincing them of why they should listen to him (justifying himself). He had refrained from speaking all this time and is about to burst to give his opinion. He takes what the others have said and takes it further. Not only is Job a hypocrite but he is rebellious also. He accuses Job of calling God unjust.
This argument reminds me of the argument of grace. So many Christians have a hard time understanding the grace of God. He doesn’t punish us according to our works. We set in motion certain things when we get out of God’s protective will. We reap what we sow but God’s grace is free and undeserved. We get forgiveness and blessings when we repent and become his child. From that moment on we are righteous in God’s sight. He no longer punishes us or condemns us. It definitely sounds too good to be true, but it is true.
Job understood grace before the cross. He understood that man could have a relationship with God that few in the Old Testament understood. Job understood that man could live righteous before God if he feared him and lived his life for him.
Lord, help us to have the conviction Job had and not be swayed by the popular vote.

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