Ever read Job? A story of loss, pain, struggle and arguing. Darkness fell over Job’s world and all came apart at the seams. His wife and friends challenged him and placed all the blame’s upon Job.
How many times in our life have things gone awry? Dark night descended with no visible dawn in sight. Losses seeming to outweigh all the prior victories and gains.
When this comes, do you hold on to God? Like Popeye and his spinach, do you ‘ingest’ God’s Spirit to overcome the snares and traps? God will strengthen you beyond all the power of all the super heroes of comics and movies combined.
Read Job 19. In this chapter, Job outlines many wrongs and dark things, ignored, hated, attacked. But, through this all, one singular message stands out, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth.” Job 19:25. The same is true of Jesus’ last words, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46. All the world, all the people He loves so dearly have turned against Him and have Him hanging on a cross. Reviled and in His final moments, God has turned His back on Him. Not so, read Psalm 22.
“From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him. The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord. May your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him. For dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.” Psalm 22:25-38
The one singular message going into these final days before the cross is the simple and glaring truth that ‘my redeemer lives“ and ‘dominion belongs to the Lord.”
Today the clouds gather, darkness descends, maybe like no other time since the creation. Babies die in the womb by the thousands, yet so many rejoice and more turn a silent ear. Darkness descends upon individual lives and cancers and illnesses fall upon the frail bodies. Yet, in it all ‘my redeemer lives“ and ‘dominion belongs to the Lord.”