Books of Job Chapter 7

Book of  Job 

Chapter

 7

1. "Do not human beings have a hard service on earth, and are not their days like the days of a laborer? 2. Like a slave who longs for the shadow, and like laborers who look for their wages, 3. so I am allotted months of emptiness, and nights of misery are appointed to me.

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 7 verses 1 to 3)


Oh God it is true that in order to live our daily lives we need to work hard to earn a living, however this is part of our duty to work and get paid for the work we do. Job is feeling so much pain and anguish that he is comparing his physical pain to the wages of the labourer. It is as if it is his fault that all this calamity befell him. In truth this was the work of Satan who wished that God would test Job in order to see if he would remain faithful to God.


4. When I lie down I say, 'When shall I rise?' but the night is long, and I am full of tossing until dawn.  5. My flesh is clothed with worms and dirt; my skin hardens, then breaks out again. 6. My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and come to their end without hope.

(Books of Wisdom Job Chapter 7 verses 4 to 6)


Oh God this is the cry of those who are in pain but do not accept their pain as being the will of God. Many people in such circumstances are living such harsh lives that they lose hope in You and in their chances of ever being cured to their previous state of health.  Oh God how I wish we were more concerned or concerned as much for our spiritual welfare as much as we are of our physical welfare, because sin also conditions our life and creates in us a state of spiritual degradation.


7. "Remember that my life is a breath; my eye will never again see good. 8. The eye that beholds me will see me no more; while your eyes are upon me, I shall be gone.

(Books of Wisdom Job Chapter 7 verses 7 to 8)


Oh God if we all kept it in mind that we are only pilgrims on this earth and that our long term home is not on earth but in heaven, our attitude  to life would be completely different. We would not have excessive material concerns or anxiety for we would have the awareness that our greatest investment is in You, where no worldly hacker can take our place in heaven, only the evil spirit of Satan, from which I pray that You protect us day and night.


9. As the cloud fades and vanishes, so those who go down to Sheol do not come up; 10. they return no more to their houses nor do their places know them any more.

(Books of Wisdom Job Chapter 7 verses 9 to 10)


Oh God how true is the reality of hell that many take for granted and think that while on earth they can behave as they wish, however the consequence of hell will always be available for those aim in life has become to merit such a negative place. If one is still not convinced of the truth of the reality of hell please click on the following link:-

The existence of hell


11. "Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

(Books of Wisdom Chapter 7 verse 11)


Oh God one thing that we are experts at doing is complaining. Even though You treat us with the greatest love and care we still find something to complain about. We are so ungrateful in how we deal with other humans and even with You my God and Father.


12. Am I the Sea, or the Dragon, that you set a guard over me?

(Books of Wisdom Chapter 7 verse 12)


On reflecting oh God we are all potential hazards and therefore we are all to be careful what we think do and say. Therefore we are all to set a guard on our mouths, for anything we say in life can be used against us in many different circumstances, and once we communicate something this cannot be reversed.


13. When I say, 'My bed will comfort me, my couch will ease my complaint,' 14. then you scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions 15. so that I would choose strangling and death rather than this body.

(Books of Wisdom Chapter 7 verses 13 to 15)


Oh God how weak and foolish we are when we are in pain and agony, however on the other hand You keep on raising awareness like never before. When praying on this verse You make me aware that this body is just a vessel that contains our soul by which we can communicate with You and others. The body can offer us no form of pleasure but only moments of fun and gratification and this is only when we are in our prime, because when we become of an age, the speed of physical and mental deterioration increases. death becomes our neighbour throughout each passing day.


16. I loath my life;  I would not live forever. Let me alone, for my days are a breath.

(Books of Wisdom Chapter 7 verse 16)


Oh God my Father that we all have this verse printed in our minds and souls. When we feel sick we feel that death is on our doorstep and that we have limited time at our disposal. However nobody knows for sure when our last second of life will be. Therefore we are to be always ready, for it may be closer than we think.


17. What are human beings, that you make so much of them, that you set your mind on them, 18. visit them every morning, test them every moment?

(Books of Wisdom Chapter 7 verses 17 to 18)


Oh God I also question, why You love us so much! Every day of our life You care for us, so much that we cannot live without You.


19. Will you not look away from me for a while, let me alone until I swallow my spittle? 20. If I sin, what do i do to you, you watcher of humanity? Why have you made me your target? Why have I become a burden to you? 21. Why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now I shall lie in the earth; you will seek me, but I shall not be."

(Books of Wisdom Chapter 7 verses 19 to 21)


Oh God I pray that You never remove Your eyes of me even for one second, because I cannot live without You. Oh God even though as in the case of Job we turn on You and ask You what did I do to You to merit all this pain, Your answer would be everything, for without You we can do nothing good. When You permit us to endure difficult situations from the point of a human it may seem to be that You are using us as Your target, but really and truly such situations are moments of growth.


Oh God my Father I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:-


Oh God when You created us to be humans due to our sin life on earth was never promised to be a bed of roses.  However when we offer our tribulations to You our lives change, so much that when we accept all situations as happening according to Your will even the most negative of situations becomes a positive. Therefore instead of complaining about our transgressions our attitude is to be one of thanksgiving for by means of such situations You continue the process of growth on both, our spiritual, social and psychological areas of our lives. 









  

Books of Job Chapter 6

Book of  Job 

Chapter

 6

1. Then Job answered: 2. "O that my vexation were weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances!

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 6 verses 1 to 2)

Oh God that our negative traits are compared against our positive traits in the eyes of humans. Oh God we try to reason on the same lines with you as we reason with humans.


3. For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words have been rash. 4. For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 6 verses 3 to 4)


During such moments of stress my God we tend to not have control over what we think and say, and we might end up saying things that we would not have in normal circumstances. However You are always with me and Your arrows of love are always like that of Cupid injecting me with love.


5. Does the wild ass bray over its grass, or the ox low over its fodder? 6. Can that which is tasteless be eaten without salt, or is there any flavor in the juice of mallows? 7. My appetite refuses to  touch them; they are like food that is loathsome to me.

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 6 verses 5 to 7)


Oh God when our lives are lacking Your holy presence we are like food that is lacking in the basic ingredient which gives it taste, value and nourishment. If we are not careful our lives can become really boring so much that nobody and nothing on this earth can give us fulfilment.


8. "O that I might have my request, and that God would grant my desire; 9. that it would please God to crush me, that he would let loos his hand and cut me off! 10. This would be my consolation: I would even exult in unrelenting pain; for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 6 verses 8 to 10)


Even though Job appears to be desperate in pain and anguish and as a consequence is asking You to end his life he still admits that Your Word and his faith in You is still present. I agree with Job in the sense that although death may be viewed negatively it is not a negative but a positive. I agree that it would be a great consolation to be reunited with You and not a downfall. My greatest wish is also to be reunited forever with You my God.


11. What is my strength that I should wait? And what is my end that I should be patient?

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 6 verse 11)


Although we proclaim that we are Christians or Catholics oh God if when put to the test, we do not place our trust in You we are not worthy of proclaiming this truth. When experiencing such stress in the garden of Gethsemane You did not reject Your calling or attempt suicide in an act of desperation but sought the comfort of prayer to Your Father. Therefore we in such a situation we are to do likewise and listen for Your voice who speaks in such moments of sorrow and bitterness.


12. Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh bronze? 13. In truth I have no help in me, and any resource is driven from me.

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 6 verses 12 to 13)


Oh my God, by our own devices we are weak as butter, however when we place our trust in You, we become as courageous as lions and as strong as a fortress. All we need is to place our trust in You and we have nothing to worry about.


14. "Those who withhold kindness from a friend forsake the fear of the Almighty.

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 6 verse 14)


As You know oh God the saying says that a friend in need is a friend indeed. This is one of many qualities that as a loving Father You show to us. You are God, the Father and also god our friend. There is no other friend but You. Amen


15. My companions are treacherous like a torrent-bed, like freshets that pass away, 16. that run dark with ice, turbid with melting snow. 17. In time of heat they disappear; when it is hot, they vanish from their place
 

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 6 verses 15 to 17)


Oh God my Father and my best friend. You are indeed the best of friends. Unlike the type of friends mentioned by Job You are always there for me ready to, love and support me, in the good times and also in the bad which may not be the bad, but better more I prefer to call these times, times of testing.


18. The caravans turn aside from their course; they go up into waste, and perish. 19. The caravans of Tema look, the travellers of Sheba hope. 20. They are disappointed Ted because they were confident; they come there and are confounded.

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 6 verses 18 to 20)


Oh God those who look upon Job are muddled or perplexed. They ask in awe, how come such a good and God fearing person could ever end up in such calamity? Does not God help those who love and follow him?


When using such criteria based on the logic of the world one tends to arrive at such conclusions, however when considering that even You were not spared from the tribulations of this world the conclusion is "So what?" If the world treated You so bad it will not treat us any better. Therefore when the world treats us badly this is an honour for the treatment given to us was also fit for a king. The King of Kings. Therefore it is an honour and not a downfall or calamity as some may perceive it.


21. Such you have now become to me; you see my calamity, and are afraid.

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 6 verse 21)


Instead of accepting calamities as being the discipline of God. we become full of fear and become confused. When adopting such an attitude  in relation to others, they sense our fear and become more depressed and discouraged. Therefore when in the presence of people in such situations we are to empathise and be positive in order to encourage others by our presence.


22. Have I said, 'Make me a gift? Or; 'From your wealth offer a bribe for me? 23. Or;  Save me from an opponents hand'? Or; 'Ransom me from the hand of oppressors'?

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 6 verses 22 to 23)


Oh God Job is stating that he never asked for the help of his friends. This is very common when we are enduring such painful situations. We feel unable to accept the fact that we have a problem and even worse that we are to seek support from all people in our networks such as family or extended family or from support systems such as found in the Social Welfare System. However having said all this our greatest help, can come only from You. You are a shoulder to cry on and vital means of support.


24. "Teach me, and I will be silent; make me understand how I have gone wrong

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 6 verse 24)


Oh God my Father even though we have knowledge available at our finger tips, exploding from everywhere around us, we still use the argument that we do nor know for our defence. However during moments of crisis even though the situation appears to be crystal clear we still cannot make head or tail of our situation. Oh God as a sinner every day of my life I pray that You show me where I have gone wrong, so that I can avoid making the same mistakes twice and this would help me improve my life both spiritually and even socially and psychologically.


25. How forceful are honest words! But your reproof, what does it reprove? 26. Do you think that you can reprove words as if the speech of the desperate were wind? 27. You would even cast lots over the orphan and bargain over your friend.

(Book of Wisdom job Chapter 6 verses 25 to 27)


On reflecting on this verse I felt like giving Job a piece of my mind, for I feel that he was pushing his luck in Your presence. If it was not for Your love for us, You would surely put up with our behaviour and would immediately penalise us for our actions.


28. "But now, be pleased to look at me; for I will not lie to your face, 29. Turn, I pray, let no wrong be done, Turn now, my vindication is at stake. 30. Is there any wrong on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern calamity?

(Book of Wisdom Chapter 6 verses 28 to 30)


As Job may  not have considered, God does not take pleasure in seeing His sons and daughters experience such terrible pain! He surely does not smile but shows love, empathy and kindness. God is aware that it is the pain that is causing Job to reason in such a way, Pain changes our thinking feelings and most of all our behaviour.


Oh God I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:-


Oh God I pray for those who are experiencing any form of pain and anguish, that can be physical, emotional or even spiritual. I also pray that You empower us with Your Spirit of truth  I pray that You make of us positive people who accept anything in life as part of Your plan for us and be thankful and positive instead of feeling lonely and depressed. Amen