OT Fire Starters – Day 189: Job 19-21

READ: Job 19-21

THINK: Do you ever feel misunderstood? There’s hardly a more frustrating or isolating feeling. And the closer you are to people, the more their misunderstanding hurts. When those who supposedly know you best misjudge you, it’s easy to feel that everyone does-including God. But be careful not to impose your experiences with other people onto your relationship with God-or you’ll end up misjudging Him. Because people’s understanding is faulty, they will fail you. Even those who know God and understand certain things about Him may completely misapply those things-as Job’s friends demonstrated? Yet it’s also possible to misunderstand things about God and what He’s doing- like Job-and still be humble enough to concede that God understands and will always do what’s right.

RESPOND: In what way did Job feel that his friends were using his situation against him (19:5)? Though Job never denounced God or gave up his faith, what serious misconception was Job beginning to have as a result of his suffering and humiliation? (See 19:11 note.) How did Job think people viewed him because of his calamity (19:13- 19)? Regardless of what happened to him or how people treated him, what ultimate confidence did Job express in God? (See 19:25 first note.) What does it mean that God is a “Redeemer” (19:25)? What did this great confession of faith reveal about Job’s view of God, his relationship with God, and his ultimate hope? (See 19:25 note.) In what way does Job’s confession prophetically point toward the work of Jesus Christ? (See 19:25 second note.) In what way did Job convey hope of resurrection from the dead? (See 19:26 first note.) What was Job’s greatest desire after his life on earth was over? (See 19:27 note.) What perplexed Job about the world’s apparent injustices? (See 21:7 note.)

PRAY: Give God thanks for never abandoning you, even when it seems that others have. Pray for those who misjudge you. Give Jesus thanks for being your Redeemer, rescuing you from sin, restoring you to a relationship with God and rewarding you with eternity in His presence. Ask God to help you be a true friend to others.

ACT: Make a deliberate effort to show kindness and respond graciously to people who don’t seem to like you, who misjudge you, or who give you a hard time. In conversations today, make an effort to talk about things that are positive, uplifting and matter in the long run. When talking with Christian friends, focus on things of eternal significance.