Job 14:1 - 14 1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth
not.
3 And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with
thee?
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast
appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6 Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.
7 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender
branch thereof will not cease.
8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor
be raised out of their sleep.
13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy
wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my
change come.
Job, in his trials, reflects upon the frailty of mankind and what short time he has to live. He also compares man to that of a tree; that when a tree is cut down it has hope to grow, even from a small bud but when man is cut down he will not rise again.
Yet even in what seems like utter despair for Job becomes hope, even for us:
Job 14:14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
We may not know our appointed time but we can wait each and everyday until our change comes. Regardless of our trials, no matter how long it takes, if can endure for the the time and trust in God each day that He knows EXACTLY what He's doing. We can be sure that when the change comes, it will be most glorious.
John 5:1-9
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
Now consider this man. He had a problem for 38 years. That is a long time. It must be frustrating for this man, when he is about to go into the pool, that there is another person there ahead of him. This does not have anyone to help him to get into the water. 38 years this man is waiting for deliverance. He could have given up the first 10 or so years of trying but he still tried.
Then Jesus steps in and the scripture says that He knew that the man had the problem for so long. Jesus Christ came to him and asked this impotent man a simple question: Wilt thou be made whole?
The man states his dilemma and Christ responds: Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
Bless the LORD! We have to be patient as we wait for our deliverance. It may be rough and things might seem hopeless at times but remember this:
Romans 5:3
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
James 1:2-4
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
James 5:7
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Consider this man, a farmer. He plants seeds and waits for it to grow. So too is our walk with Christ. The farmer does not just plants the seed and then go for a time and come back expecting the plant to just be fruitful.
No.
He first clears the land of weeds, rocks and debris. Then he tills the soil and rake it nice and proper, putting time and effort into it.
He toils for this land to be prepared, then he plants the seeds. He doesn't leave it. He waters it everyday he can, he clears around it when weeds and bugs come along and puts the time and effort into it and expects it to be fruitful.
Let's even take a flashback on the children of Israel, while they were in bondage under the Egyptians for 400 years.
For so long they were there and the Lord hearkened to their cries, and sent deliverance through Moses. And even while they were freed from captivity and were at the Red Sea, they murmured and complained wanting to go back to Egypt, wanting to find some other way out of the situation, maybe the left or right route. But Moses proclaimed that they should stand and see the salvation of the LORD, and God cut a straight path through the sea for them to walk on.
It is important to remember that even if things don't go the way you want it when you want it, remember not to go down to Egypt for help nor turn away from the path of righteousness.
Isaiah 31:1
1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!
Deuteronomy 5:32
32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
God bless in the name of Jesus Christ our LORD, Saviour and Redeemer.
