Power

He stirs up the sea with His power, and by His understanding He breaks up the storm. Job 26:12

Standing on the edge of the ocean, one can sometimes see very large waves rolling across the top. The ocean is moving massive, huge amounts of water by some unseen tremendous power.

Another great power that people may see is the power in large storms. Great winds blow, heavy torrential rains may fall causing damage and flooding of areas. These are caused by a power greater than anything any human can create and are also stopped by ways beyond any person.

Job had just listed a few of God’s great accomplishments with power and now points out that it is God who stirs up the seas and breaks up the storm.

Life for every person has periods of great storms and periods of calm, just as any physical location on the earth. Although scientists can give some of the scientific reasoning behind physical storms, one cannot fully understand them, and no one can fully create the storms.

Just as God will stir up the waters in the ocean to create large waves, God will also stir up the waters in one’s life. Life gets chaotic and everything appears to be being tossed about, yet it is all under God’s control and command. He brings on the storms of life to get a person’s attention and to build one’s faith up in Him.

In the same way God stirs the waters of life, He will also calm the storm. Sometimes the storm will be calmed as when Jesus stopped the wind and waves on the water. Other times He will bring peace and calmness to one’s heart and mind in the midst of the storm, breaking the power of the storm to damage the believer.

There will be days in your life in which you are going through a great storm. It may appear as dangerous and overwhelming. Instead of fearing that storm, put your trust in God, knowing that it was He who stirred up the storm in your life. Seek His purpose in the storm and how to grow from it in His ways to be more like Jesus.

Then allow His presence, strength and power to bring you peace and calmness in your heart and mind during the storm, until He breaks up that storm. In His time and way, God will break up that storm.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know it is God who allows the storms in your life; that you will know God’s peace in the middle of a storm; and that you will see God calm the storms in your life in His way and timing.

Why do the wicked live and become old, yes, become mighty in power? Their descendants are established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. Job 21:7-9

In every nation and community, a person can look around and see someone who is very wealthy or in high level of power and in older age. Many of those who are these positions do not have very high standards of living. Those with high standards of living appear to be in much lower positions in life.

Job complains about how the wicked can live and become old with a long line of descendants with no fear. God does not appear to punish them at all.

Looking on the surface, many people appear to have everything going great for them, having great success. There does not seem to be any problems or difficulties in their lives, and they are getting what they want.

Sinful lifestyles are lived and promoted by the wealthy and prominent of the world. On the surface God does not seem to care about what they are doing and is letting them get away with sin in their lives with no fear of punishment, while many believers are suffering from harm in many different ways, and this can be very discouraging.

Believers must remember that God is patient and does not want any to perish. He is also holding off punishment until the day of judgement when Jesus returns. Although the majority of the world is living in sin, there will come a day of judgement in which they will pay for their sins.

Instead of complaining about the world, believers must remember that at one time they were also just like the world. Living for God may cost today, but it will be worth it in the end.

It may feel like you are getting the raw end of the stick and are suffering while the world appears to be living it up in sin. Do not focus on what the world is getting by with today, but remember that there will come a day when they will be punished for their sins.

Just as they will be punished, you will be rewarded for your faithfulness to God. Hold on to the eternal hope you have that the world cannot know without Jesus.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know the hope you have in Jesus; that you will know the rewards God has for you some day; that you will trust God’s timing in your life; and that you will trust God’s timing in judging the world.