DEVOTIONAL

“ The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” Job 1:8 NASBS

In this life, we all agree that there are many sufferings that we must face. There are those whom we love, in whom we shall attend their funerals. We will face sickness, disease, famine, and other catastrophic events if time allows. This body of ours is also aging and will someday too see the grave. It is inevitable and there is no escaping it. Time cannot be turned back so that we might undo the sufferings we caused to people, nor can we know the sufferings that we might have to face tomorrow. But there is one thing we know for sure, and that is, death is imminent. When one stops and meditates upon this reality and begins to look deeply into it, there is no doubt that fear can captivate the mind. In the assessment of life living here under the sun without an eternal perspective, Solomon, the son of David said, “What advantage does man have in all his work Which he does under the sun? A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth remains forever. Also, the sun rises and the sun sets; And hastening to its place it rises there again. Blowing toward the south, Then turning toward the north, The wind continues swirling along; And on its circular courses the wind returns. All the rivers flow into the sea, Yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, There they flow again. All things are wearisome; Man is not able to tell it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor is the ear filled with hearing.” “For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun? Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity. There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him?” Understand this, naked we came into this world and we shall carry nothing with us out of this world. Burial cloths, a coffin, and a grave are all that we will have among all the wealth gained from this world when death calls our name.

Solomon’s assessment concerning life here as we know it has no true purpose whatsoever apart from an infinite creator, Who is outside of space and time, Who created everything for a divine purpose. That is, there is something more to this life than just seeking to indulge the fruit of our labors. Reader, I stand with Solomon as a servant of the Most High God, one who was awakened to the reality of truth. That is, apart from Jesus Christ, God’s only-begotten Son, I was eternally lost and without hope. But one day, in the midst of my own corruption that was cloaked in a religious guise, He showed me my sin. It was then that I understood His judicial justice and that I was guilty, having broken the righteous demands of His perfect law. I knew His wrath burned forth towards me concerning my sin. So, I turned and threw myself at the feet of Jesus, who fulfilled the righteous demands of God’s law, crying, “God have mercy upon me, a sinner.” It was then His grace flew to me and from that point, I knew that He loved me. I knew now that my purpose in this life was to bring glory to Him, whether by life or by death, or in sickness or in health. Therefore, my friend, there is more to life than just eating and drinking until the day of your death. That day will come, I assure you, and your name will gradually disappear from this life, only to be brought up several generations later on a genealogy tree concerning someone’s research on your ancestors. Today, while you have the breath of life, turn to Jesus and be saved. Then your life here will have an eternal purpose. God is not a respecter of persons. Listen to what He says about Jobs’ life on this earth to the tempter: “The LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.’” You see, the chief end of man is to bring glory to God, and His all-seeing eye goes throughout the earth looking for those who are faithful. Will you be found among the faithful on the day of your death? May God help you call upon Jesus today.