Job 36:13-21
Verse 18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside.
Everyone has their own idea of how the wicked should be punished and when but the truth is God has His times and reasons already set without input from us. He doesn’t need our help in the when’s and how’s of judgment. Elihu knew this and it is the reason he added this to his defense of God in our reading today.
God doesn’t want His people to stay in the place of affliction because of sin when they have the option of repenting and getting out of it. In fact, God is trying to draw us away from the things which pull us away from Him. Yes, we are in a tug-of-war between wanting what He wants us to be and what we want in our lives. This war over our hearts puts us in a place where certain temptations can make issues in our lives if we aren’t diligent to be true to God alone.
Elihu warns Job and his friends not to be enticed by the things of this world. He understood how when we are enraptured by the things this world has to offer we take our eyes off of the Creator and may miss what He is busy doing in our lives. Job had been missing the God work of his life because he was so focused on all he had lost. He had been a dad and now was childless, wealthier than any other person and now had lost near everything. He had felt like he was on top of the world but now wished he had never been born. He was stuck in mourning what his life had become instead of seeing all he still had.
Job may have lost things which meant a lot to him but there were things he still had which should have mattered to him as well. He still had his wife and even though she was grieving their losses, they still had each other. Elihu pointed out that even if Job still had his wealth, his wealth couldn’t buy him out of his current situation.
It is so easy to think if we had wealth, spouse, job or other things our life would be just what we want it to be. The problem is we become so focused on getting those things we miss the goal we should have. Job’s distraction with the things of this earth had kept him from asking God what He wanted him to learn through all he was dealing with. Just like Job, we need to be careful not to turn to the things of this world to gain the life we want, we may just end up turning to wickedness without realizing it.
Making It Personal
How easily do the things of this world distract you from living the life God has given you to live? Why do those things seem so tempting? What would it take for God to become your main focus in life?
Making It Personal Kids
What things in life are most distracting for you? Do they take your attention away from Jesus? What would it take for you to focus more on Jesus?
Closing Prayer
Father, we confess how we allow the things of this world to become more interesting to us than we do things of You. Help us learn to focus on You and the things which will draw us closer to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Comments