Prisoners of Hope

Excellent perspective of the Truth about Hope! This does put it in the proverbial nutshell and promises to those who won’t lose Hope in spite of the wrongs or attacks against us in this fallen state that God has a purpose in all things and this injury will heal but more importantly God’s will manifests two fold! Because though our goal and ultimate reward and victory is in heaven and that is where we direct our attention in all things during our journey here in the fallen state of being, our trial; but God does reward those who are steadfast and faithful here as well!

This article brought me immediately to Job who was faithful in his own suffering. When he did finally question God as to the why God did put Job in his place I think so perfectly of course like any great and good father would do with his earthly son or daughter to teach and strengthen the character of that child to make a better and eventually greater soul in the process.

When Job questioned God about his suffering after being so faithful to Him but yet lost seven sons and three daughters along with his wife and all his livestock, as well as suffering a physical affliction of oozing sores all over is body, did God pamper and give in to Job’s discontent and pleas for pity? No; He did not and here are some of the 41 questions God instead put to Job!

The LORD Challenges Job 38

1Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

2“Who is this who obscures My counsel

by words without knowledge?a

3Now brace yourself b like a man;

I will question you, and you shall inform Me.c

4Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?

Tell Me, if you have understanding.

5Who fixed its measurements? Surely you know!

Or who stretched a measuring line across it?

6On what were its foundations set,

or who laid its cornerstone,d

7while the morning stars sang together

and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8Who enclosed the sea behind doors

when it burst forth from the womb,

9when I made the clouds its garment

and thick darkness its blanket,

10when I fixed its boundaries

and set in place its bars and doors,

11and I declared: ‘You may come this far, but no farther;

here your proud waves must stop’?

12In your days, have you commanded the morning

or assigned the dawn its place,

13that it might spread to the ends of the earth

and shake the wicked out of it?

14The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;

its hills stand out like the folds of a garment.

15Light is withheld from the wicked,

and their upraised arm is broken.

16Have you journeyed to the vents of the sea

or walked in the trenches of the deep?

17Have the gates of death been revealed to you?

Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

18Have you surveyed the extent of the earth?

Tell Me, if you know all this.”

As I was saying at the start God has “His” plan and “His” chosen as well as faithful fit into it perfectly; so that what any of us may be going through right now or in our future trials and tribulations we must be willing to take it and offer it up to His glory and plan; only His purposes matter not ours and certainly not the Devil’s! Look at it this way, there is a “formula to perfection” and “only God knows what it is” so no matter how much He were to explain it all, if we had enough time here or could even comprehend it all so that it would make sense or truly understand it all well enough would be Impossible!

My dad once told me when I was a young teen, “that sometimes life isn’t fair and you may get to a point where you question God, but you don’t get the answer you want to hear or any answer; so don’t run off half-cocked because you don’t get what you want; just remember there is always a reason for everything, and you may not find out immediately or even in your lifetime, but, rest assured there is a good reason and eventually you will know the reason why; even if it’s after your life here ends!”

Who better is there to judge everything most wisely and fairly than God? Nobody exists outside of Him that can do that so we best not question his motives, intentions or judgments; just show Him that you trust Him now and forever, taking whatever comes; the good and the bad gladly; knowing God loves you more than you can fathom in this imperfect state you’re in! But, when we join Him in heaven we are going to know precisely why while being in pure bliss and joy eternally; what a fantastic thing to be striving towards! Never quit or lose courage; hang in and hang tough; just know that He has it all covered of course!

Job did not get a definite answer from God when he questioned Him about the reason for his suffering. But God restored, by double, everything Job had lost. Job’s faith in God was always steadfast to the end of his life; he was the human that God had planned to display great integrity, forthrightness and ceaseless faithful devotion to God; as our better to emulate.

He was true and loyal with great integrity to what he said early in the book: “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;” (Job 13:15a)
Amen.
God bless you.

Brother in Christ Jesus,
Lawrence Morra III