June 7, 2025

Doesn't a love story entice everybody? The Song of Solomon is a romantic poem about love between a man and a woman. Some say it is a gift from God, an example of how love should be between a couple, and they are not wrong. However, I am more inclined to attribute it to God's love towards us and how our love should be for Jesus. We are so used to sexual innuendo that it reads like a saucy, lustful tryst. It's okay to look at it that way, but because I have such a desire to worship, I find it pleasing to look at it like the romance between Jesus and us, but in a wholesome way. 

The King of Kings draws us to himself like a lover chasing after the desire of his heart, and because we are his desire, he calls for us to come to him. Some run away from the call, while others hear it, stop running, and answer. Today, turn around and meet with our Savior, answer his call, and turn your desire toward Him because He is worthy of our love. 

Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee. Song of Solomon 1:4

June 6, 2025

The conclusion of the Book of Job is exciting. Job suffered immensely, losing his children, health, and wealth. Job repented, and God accepted it and forgave Job for complaining about his hardship. Then God rebuked his three friends and instructed them to bring seven bulls and seven rams for a sacrifice, telling them that Job would pray for them. God changed everything! Those friends who thought they were more holy than Job because they weren’t suffering his fate were humbled. Here’s the kicker: God gave Job twice as much as he had before, and it began with his friends, acquaintances, and extended family bringing him money and gold rings. They celebrated and comforted him. He then had seven sons and three daughters. Was this by the same wife? I doubt it, but it doesn’t say. I found it interesting that his daughters were named and also given an inheritance among their brothers. Their names had significant meanings, reflecting their unmatched beauty; in summary, they mean Jemima (prosperity), Kezia (fragrance), and Kerenhappuch (restoration). 

What we’ve learned from this is that it is wrong to judge someone by their material prosperity or lack thereof; God looks at the heart, not the wealth or outward appearance. If you go through a time of suffering, lose all your friends, or have friends who mistreat you, pray for them, and God will bless you. 

And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Job 42:10

June 5, 2025

God describes himself as a leviathan, big and untamable. However, we don’t know what a leviathan is, so it’s hard for us to picture this character. Is it a whale, as my commentary thinks? Or is it a crocodile or an alligator? To me, the description God gives us more closely resembles a gigantic alligator-like creature. Being a native of Florida, I can relate more to an alligator because they are seen regularly in our daily lives, are formidable, and will eat small animals or a human if they get too close. We had one removed from our pond, and the trapper was able to lasso him and move him to a retirement home where he could live out the rest of his life well-fed and comfortable. We have another one living in our pond now, but he is still relatively small, probably consuming tadpoles and frogs.

In comparison to God, alligators can live in any body of water; in Florida, if the water is wet, it is always possible to find one there. Our pond is tiny, with little for them to eat, but they always slide in, hoping for a meal train to sustain them. When they get too big, too hungry, or mating season comes calling, they usually wander off. Then there are times they stay close and call our pond their home. It’s cool to see them, but you don’t want to mess with them. 

The primary thing to understand about God is that He is greater than anyone can imagine and is sovereign over the earth and the entire creation, encompassing everything within it. Remember that, so when you go to Him, you are humble, keeping in mind that He is royalty, so be appreciative and undemanding of Him. 

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me? Job 41:10

June 4, 2025

Even though Job may have pitied himself for his misfortune, he knew when it was time to be quiet. God was speaking, so it might be best to listen without response unless He requires your response, as He did with Job. Who are we to instruct God? What can we say that will help our situation? Be careful that you humble yourself when praying and demand nothing of God, but approach Him with thanksgiving and praise and let your request be known. Otherwise, you might be brought low at the hand of God. Our existence is at God’s mercy; we are small, and our strength comes from Him; we did nothing to deserve it.

Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? Job 40:8-9

Take a moment to understand the thoughts of God and know that He doesn’t see our outward appearance as anything to behold because Job had nothing; God allowed that to be taken away, and in this next verse, God tells him to deck himself with majesty and excellence and array himself with glory and beauty. How would he do that if he was destitute? God looks into our souls to determine our beauty, so we should spend more time cultivating our inner beauty rather than trying to please the world with our appearance. 

Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. Job 40:10

June 3, 2025

God continues his discourse with Job in chapter 39 to make him aware that he doesn’t know all there is to know about the things He created. He mentions his lack of knowledge about goats and deer, wild horses and unicorns (a unicorn is not a mythical creature, but rather a wild bull, which I believe is the rhinoceros), peacocks and ostriches, and the hawk and the eagle. He makes all of them live and thrive without human intervention. God is speaking to Job in this chapter, but I found it interesting that He mentions Himself by the name of God. In this verse, God is talking about the ostrich, who is careless with her eggs yet doesn’t go extinct.

Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding. Job 39:17

We don’t know all there is to know about God and His infinite wisdom or for what reason things happen, so we must remember His sovereignty and that He knows what is best for us. If we knew how the pieces fit together, we might understand the reason why things happen the way they do. Until we reach that height, we must trust that God knows what He is doing in our lives and believe His plan for us will turn out for our best. 

June 2, 2025

God listens to every word that comes out of our mouths. After Job’s friends spoke, he gave his rebuttal, and then God spoke verbally and began rebuking them all. He counseled them on their foolishness and lack of knowledge when it comes to the things of God. In summary, He asked them if they were there when He created the heavens and earth and if they sincerely knew how the things God created worked. It is clear that we still don’t know how God works or how He made our environment, although many speculate and claim to possess superior knowledge. We don’t need science to tell us the shape of the earth; God details it in His Word; it has a foundation and a cornerstone. God gave us the Bible for instruction and filled us in on the details. Are we going to believe Him or some random person whom we have no acquaintance with, who may be looking to gain fame and fortune or discredit the deity and magnificence of God? We need to stick with the basics of what the Bible teaches. It is God-breathed for our correction and training. 

Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; Job 38:5-6

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

June 1, 2025

During Job’s time, they didn’t have manuscripts to tell them about God like we have today. They relied on what they could see and hear. So, when Elihu began describing the goodness and power of God, he was reminded of it by a bolt of lightning and the clap of thunder. If we could overcome our indoctrination and look with our eyes to see the amazing earth as it is, the center of the universe, and God’s incredible creation, we might realize just how special we are to Him. The enemy has done all he can to direct our attention away from God, including putting things in front of us and having his minions tell us it’s something different. We were taught so many untruths as children that it’s hard for us to know the difference between what is right teaching and wrong teaching. For this reason, it is essential that you pray for discernment and clarity and that God would reveal to you the truth. Think about it for a minute: are we genuinely spinning at 1000 miles per hour? Is that the only way they could prove gravity on a sphere since water always levels itself? Why does it seem that the sun, moon, and stars are moving around us rather than us moving around them? These things could be true, but I tend to think that God created us with utmost importance and placed us at the center of everything. God loves us, and we are more important to Him than anything else. When you get that into your head, you will realize how absurd some things sound and will begin to understand how precious you are to God. 

Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. Job 37:2-4