For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; Job 19:25 NRSV
Poor Job; he was surrounded by friends who didn't fully appreciate his condition. We can give them credit for showing up. At first, they sat quietly with him, but then they began to postulate why he was in his dire situation. One friend even suggests Job must have done something terribly wicked; otherwise, God couldn't possibly allow such suffering.
Job, though, holds fast to his faith. He may not comprehend why these terrible things were happening, but he remains steadfast. Here's the rest of the verse, "and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another." He may have been uncertain about the "why" and the "how long" of his suffering, but he was confident in the knowledge that he would come face-to-face with God.
We have this same hope in Jesus Christ. Though in this life, we will experience times of unpleasantness and pain. Thanks to God's amazing grace, we have the Holy Spirit, his living presence, with us, providing comfort, peace, and strength in this life. But we also have the certainty that death is not the end but a beginning. We are going to a place where we can look fully upon the face of God.
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending our living Redeemer in your Son, Jesus Christ. Because of his promise, we can look with hope to the future. Also, we thank you for the Holy Spirit, which helps us through our times of trials. Help us in this coming year to remember the extent of your love and care. Amen.
I wish you all a safe and blessed new year!
Pastor Tim
