Book of Job Chapter 18

Book of Job 

Chapter

 18

1. Then Bildad the Shuhite answered; 2. "How long will you hunt for words? Consider, and then we shall speak. 3. Why are we counted as cattle? Why are we stupid in your sight?

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 18 verses 1 to 3)

Oh God my Father at times we make ourselves, blind and deaf to the feedback of others and listen to nobody but ourselves. Although it is proper to have a good relationship with You my, God, we cannot put aside our relationships with others, for You may also be trying to pass on a message to us, by means of others.


4. You who tear yourself in your anger shall the earth be forsaken because of you, or the rock be removed out of its place?


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 18 verse 4)


Oh God my Father, during moments of anger, we either tear at ourselves or tear at others or end up tearing at You. I also pray for Your mercy during such moments of anger, for I also have issues of anger to deal with. Moreover oh God my Father, for the sake of even one righteous person, You would have spared Sodom from its destruction, that is how much we are of value to You! Amen.



5. Surely the light of the wicked is put out, and the flame of their fire does no shine.


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 18 verse 5)


Oh God my Father, even though the fame of the evil and wicked may appear to be outstanding it has its end but Your grace and our acts of love and mercy based on Your will  endure and last forever Amen.


6. The light is dark in their tent, and the lamp above them is put out. 7. Their strong steps are shortened, and their own schemes throw them down.


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 18 verses 6 to 7)


Oh God my Father woe to us when we lose all traces of You in our lives, for even the faintest ray of light in our lives becomes darkness so much that we loose all contact with You and even with ourselves. Our lives will become a living state of chaos, that prevents us from seeing Your ways. I pray oh God that You still have mercy on us, especially during such moments for we do not know what we are doing when we are in such a state Amen.


8. For they are thrust into a net by their own feet and they walk into a pitfall. 9. A trap seizes them by the heel; a snare lays hold of them. 10. A rope is hid for them in the ground a trap for them in the path. 11. Terrors frighten them on every side, and chase them at their heels.


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 18 verses 8 to 11)


Oh God my Father throughout the course of live as You know we are constantly tested by You in order for us to keep on growing. On the other hand, the evil one sets one booby trap after another in order to hurt us and take our souls or by persuading us to turn against You. I pray for Your support oh God for I am weak and prone and can never get it right for in some way or other I stumble and put my foot in it Amen. I pray for Your mercy oh God.


12. Their strength is consumed by hunger, and calamity is ready for their stumbling. 13. By disease their skin is consumed, the firstborn of Death consumes their limbs.


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 18 verse 12)


Oh God my Father I thank You for giving me Your Faith which is spiritual strength. Even though I lack in physical strength You have chosen to compensate me in faith Amen.  


13. By disease their skin is consumed, the firstborn of Death consumes their limbs. 14. They are torn from the tent in which they trusted and are brought to the king of terrors.


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 18 verses 13 to 14)

 
Oh God my Father in order to make us turn back to You, in faith, You strip us off our personal security, that may be wealth, possessions and even personal skills so that we learn to depend totally on You and not on our security. Amen.



15. In their tents nothing remains; sulfur is scattered upon their habitations. 16. Their roots dry up beneath, and their branches wither above. 17. Their memory perishes from the earth, and they have no name in the street. 18. They are thrust from light into darkness, and driven out of the world. 19. They have no offspring or descendant among their people, and no survivor where they used to live. 20. They of the west are appalled at their fate, and horror seizes those of the east. 21. Surely such are the dwellings of the ungodly, such is the place of those who do not know God."


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 18 verses 15 to 21)




Oh God my Father, when we do not live according to Your ways, we become like a plant that slowly withers and dies, because it is not being cared for or given the correct environment in which to grow. I pray oh God that we are always aware of our spiritual life and the consequences of neglecting it, for life on earth passes but our souls remain alive forever, both in heaven and in hell Amen.




 

Book of Job Chapter 17

Book of Job 

Chapter

 17

What do you get if you cross a parrot with an alligator?

A creature who bites your head off and says  "Who's a pretty boy now!"

1. My spirit is broken, my days are extinct, the grave is ready for me. 2. Surely there are mockers around me, and my eye dwells on their provocation.

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 17 verses 1 to 2)

Oh God my Father at times, we focus more on what others say or think about us, than what You and I think about ourselves. Everyone has a personal bias including ourselves, therefore, we need to filter all feedback given to us and not accept it on receiving it. It would be better for us to focus on You and Your Word than on what the people of the world say to or about us. Amen.



3. "Lay down a pledge for me with yourself; who is there that will give surety for me?



 (Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 17 verse 3)



Oh God, my Father there is none like You, and only in You can I ever feel loved and secure. The world offers surety and security, however, it is never totally secure, for during our times even the greatest security systems can be hacked, therefore, it is useless to depend on the world for our security Amen. 




4. Since you have closed their minds to understanding, therefore you will not let them triumph.


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 17 verse 4)


Oh God my Father now I understand why certain people believe in You and some do not. For those who do believe this is a great and precious gift. For those who still have their minds closed, we are to pray so that one day You will penetrate their darkness Amen.



5. Those who denounce friends for reward the eyes of their children will fail.


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 17 verse 5)



Oh God my Father our actions do not go unaccounted for. It seems that  the consequences of our own sins pass on to our children and their children, therefore we are to always be aware of our actions for the consequences may be both positive and negative Amen. 



6. "He has made me a byword of the peoples, and I am one before whom people spit. 7. My eye has grown dim from grief, and all my members are like a shadow. 



(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 17 verses 6 to 7)



Due to the fact oh God my Father that I choose to follow You and not the ways of the world, others may look upon me with scorn as If i considered myself to be a good person. Moreover, the first mistake that I do will be used against me and supported with alot of pomp and ridicule for the world expects us to be perfect meaning without sin. What the world does not realise is that we follow You because we are sinners and not because we are good people, we are patients in need of healing, and therefore need constant therapy from our doctor who is You, my God and Father. Amen.



 8. The upright are appalled at this, and the innocent stir themselves up against the godless.



 (Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 17 verse 8)



Oh God my Father the trap that we can easily fall into is that of becoming judgemental against those who do not believe in You. Instead of helping them in the process of their conversion, we create blockages by means of our attitude and end up doing more harm than good.



9. Yet the righteous hold to their way, and they that have clean hands grow stronger and stronger.



(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 17 verse 9)



Oh God my Father, the more You keep an eye on us and help us to stay in a relationship with You the stronger we get because we draw our energy from You. The power of Your love is the driving force that keeps me going every day of my life Amen. 



10. But you, come back now, all of you, and I shall not find a sensible person among you. 



(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 17 verse 10)



Oh God my Father we have many wise people in the world, for the sciences and technology are advancing at an alarming pace, however, all our knowledge and discoveries at times tend to make of us people who are rebellious to the will of God and very proud which is not sensible at all. I pray that You give us the needed balance in order for us to live a balanced life in knowledge behaviour that reflects our faith in You Amen.



11. My days are past, my plans are broken off, the desires of my heart.


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 17 verse 11)



Oh God, my Father I also had many plans and desires, I had planned to have a happy family based according to Your will and that together we would give You praise and worship, however, my marriage is deteriorating throughout each passing day. You permitted me to enrol in University and to graduate as a Social Worker, but still You did not want me to stay for long in this area! I do not understand Your ways my God and Father but I still believe that You are in control and one day all will be restored according to Your plans for us as a family and as individuals Amen.



12. They make night into day; 'The light,' they say, is near to the darkness.


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 17 verse 12)



Oh God, my Father the choice between heaven and hell is ours to make, however as You said, light and darkness cannot dwell together. Since the beginning You separated light from darkness, therefore, we are not to allow darkness to dwell in our lives, for we are children of the light and not of the darkness Amen.



13. If I look for Sheol as my house, if I spread my couch in darkness, 14. If I say to the Pit, 'You are my father, and to the worm, 'My mother,' or 'My sister,' 15. where then is my hope? Who will see my hope? 16. Will it go down to the bars of Sheol? Shall we descend together into the dust?"


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 17 verses 13 to 15)



Oh God my Father if my sister or mother happen to be as skinny as a worm, that would have been a compliment, but to somebody who is a bit fat like me, it may be an offence. If we treat animals better than we treat humans or on the same level or far better it is as if we are calling the worm my sister as indeed we are. Hospitals for animals such as dogs are being built while people are dying in other places due to a severe lack of medical and human resources.



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


Oh God my Father, even though at times in the 'Old Testament' You are portrayed as being a harsh, and at times, an impersonal God, I still hold You as my one and only loving Father. I would, therefore, like to dedicate this chapter to You and all the fathers of this world including priests and monks, whom we also address by the title of 'Father'. Amen. Happy Father's Day to all. Amen. Thank You, Jesus, for this special day.

 












 

Book of Job Chapter 16

Book of  Job 

Chapter

 16

^{1.  Then Job answered ; 2. "I have heard many such things; miserable comforters  are you all. 3. Have windy words no limit? Or what provokes you that you keep on talking? 4. I also could talk as you do, if you were in my place; I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you. 5. I could encourage you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain.}

^{(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 16 verses 1 to 5)}

^{As Job emphasized the attitude of those accusing him is one that violates the rules of empathy which require that the helper imagines himself in the person's situation and also reflect how that person could feel or behave in his or her situation. This is the major key to understanding another person. In order to get an idea about how empathy functions I invite you to click on the following link:-}

The meaning and use of empathy 



6. "If I speak, my pain is not assuaged, and if I forbear, how much of it leaves me? 7. Surely now God has worn me out; he has made desolate all my company. 8. And he has shriveled me up, which is a witness against me; my leanness has risen up against me, and it testifies to my face.

(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 16 verses 6 to 8)




Oh God my Father many times even the helper is in need of help, and how painful it feels when one cries out for help and understanding and does not find it, or else is confronted by criticism instead of finding understanding. I offer You oh God such situations, however this is not new to You, for up to the last seconds of Your life, those present kept on taunting You with insults that cut to the heart, which were enough to rip Your heart out, but You kept Your vision and trust on God the Father and You were not abandoned or forsaken, therefore during such moments we are to have the same attitude and perspective that we are not abandoned even though our situation seems to be humanly hopeless. Amen.


9. He has torn me in his wrath, and hated me; my adversary sharpens his eyes against me.


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 16 verse 9)


Oh God my Father the enemy is glaring against me, the evil one really hates me. He is attacking me from all sides, trying to persuade me to lose hope in You my God and Father. Many things are happening all at once, an error in my computer is compelling me to use a slow computer thus hindering my progress, my marriage is in a mess, all I have is You my God and Father.


10. They have gaped at me with their mouths; they have struck me insolently on the cheek; they mass themselves together against me.


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 16 verse 10)


Oh God the world gives us many messages when in a situation, many people tend to choose divorce or separation. These are the modern trends that compel us to behave according to these norms. I pray oh God my Father that I never adopt such ways of thinking and behaviour even though my situation is not that good Amen. Oh God I trust in You, to solve all our issues, for I have exhausted all my cards Amen.

11. God gives me up to the ungodly, and casts me into the hands of the wicked. 12. I was at ease, and he broke me in two; he seized me by the neck and dashed me to pieces; he set me up as his target; 13. his archers surround me. He slashes open my kidneys, and shows no mercy; he pours out my gall on the ground.


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 16 verses 11 to 13)


Oh God, my Father when we are passing through a hard time, we feel that all hell has broken loose and the feeling of awfulness takes control over our thoughts and emotions as if all the bad things are happening only to us in the world and not to others.


14. He bursts upon me again and again; he rushes at me like a warrior. 


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 16 verse 14)


Oh God my Father Your arrows are not ones that bring death and sorrow but of love. You test us again and again for our own good so that like a sculpture that is in process You remove the extra pieces of stone until You make of us a majestic masterpiece. Amen


15. I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and have laid my strength in the dust. 16. My face is red with weeping, and deep darkness is on my eyelids, 17. though there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.


(Book of Wisdom Job Chapter 16 verses 15 to 17) 


Oh God my Father even though Job was experiencing great moments of physical and emotional anguish he remained firm in prayer and humility. Help us oh God to be likewise in such situations and adopt a state of redemption and humility because this is a bridge in our relationship with You Amen. Humble people have space for You in their hearts but the proud are already full of themselves Amen.


18. "O earth, do not cover my blood; let my outcry find no resting place. 19. Even now, in fact, my witness is in heaven, and he that vouches for me. 20. My friends scorn me; my eye pours out tears to God, 21. that he would maintain the right of a mortal with God, as one does for a neighbor. 22. For when a few years have come, I shall go the way from which I shall not return.


(Book of Wisdom Chapter 16 verses 18 to 22) 


Oh God I lift up my heart only to You, for You are the only one who really and truly understands me and knows me as I am with all my strengths and weaknesses. Other people do not even try to understand me or show concern for me. Many people reason logically or legalistically and never consider what others are feeling, others even try to persuade You to even think like them in order to get their way or justify even negative actions, without considering that one day we will all be accountable for our actions in Your presence Amen. 



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



Oh God my Father, I thank You for loving and understanding me and loving me just as I am and not as You would like me to be. Thank You for being my refuge and consolation especially during times of trouble and tribulations Amen