July 5 – Greatest of the Greatest

“Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable.” – Job 36:26  (ESV)

God is the source of all good things in our lives. Any strength or skill, intelligence or beauty that we may have comes to us from God. When measured on a scale of excellence, God is greater beyond the very most excellent. God is the most important person who exists and as creator, all things were made by Him. We who believe in Him have a personal knowledge of God in salvation, the fullness of His glory is beyond human comprehension; He is beyond our ability to even fathom what He looks like. God’s existence is countless and unending while we have the few years God gives to us here. Job’s friend Elihu spoke words above to Job. Job’s friends failed badly trying to reason God’s intentions for the suffering He had allowed. Our promise is that God is so very high and exalted that He is beyond us. Trying to reason God out is useless. Trying to outthink God’s ways and purposes is a fool’s errand. It is nonsense to come to conclusions about God apart from His Word by using our puny reasoning ability. What can we do? We can by faith, believe in God’s Word.

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June 3 – Patient With Us, Not Slow

“But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”  - 2 Peter 3:8-9 (NASB)

Our concept and mental image of time is one thing and mostly shared among people of similar cultures.  However, there are places and people in this world who think of time quite differently.  In the far north within the Arctic circles at the height of winter, and the winter solstice, those living within the polar circle who experience nights that seem like a month.  Our verse instructs us to not overlook that God is transcendent of time. In the Lord’s time, Peter tells us, one day passes as a thousand years.  A thousand years are just a day for Him.  All moments in our time are  always before God. We can rejoice because God is not confined by time as we are.  His promises are fulfilled according to His will and for us. We may “feel” that God is slow or delaying the fulfillment of a promise but, in God’s plan there is no slowness only patience with His creation. God desires all to come to repentance and for none to perish. So for our sake, He is patient while those who He has chosen and called come to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  

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November 9 – Multiplying Days – Adding Years

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you.”  -  Proverbs 9:10-11 (NASB)

Fear is often talked about in our Bible and it may mean different things depending on the word in the original language and the context where it is written. Many times we are told that frightful fear is not a good thing for us to have and we are encouraged to “Fear not.”  However, in the context of our passage today, awesome fear is a good thing. The Fear of the Lord here is used as a designation of true righteousness.  It is a fear brought together with love and hope, and is therefore not an oppressive dread, but rather obedient respect or awe inspired by the glory, and character of God.  It is not a fear that causes us to shrink away but draws us near to bow down before Him with hearts of praise and adoration.  The promise here?  God will multiply your days and add years to your life.  We do not know how many years, but that is what He has promised.  

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December 30

“And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years,’” Genesis 1:14 (NIV)

Have you ever stopped to think where the idea came from to have our time divided into years? As we come to the close of a year, let us think about this. Before anybody ever made a calendar, God provided a way to tell seasons, days and years. God set the heavens in motion and the Earth on its orbit around the sun which repeats again and again. He made the sun, moon and stars to make division of time. So it was God who determined that one year would end and another begin. His word is just as steadfast about our lives. What He has promised He will accomplish. What a great God we have for today and always.