Gold! 

Until Chapter 38, Job is speaking from his own wisdom and thoughts, his understanding of God, his religion (many do not believe Job was a Jew) and perhaps even his desperation, just like we do at times. He is a crazy man in pain, covered with boils who just lost almost everything. He does not understand all that has happened and in his confusion, pain, grief, and lack of understanding he is asking, "Why God?” defending himself by claiming that his own righteousness will be proven.
            
               The origin of the testing was not God but Satan who believes that  Job serves God because he is blessed. So, God allows the testing, but gives Satan limitations, knowing that what Satan means for evil, He/God can and will use for good. Notice the result of the testing.
 
            Job come to know God and have relationship with Him, where previously he only heard of Him, but now he sees Him. “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You.” Relationship is advanced. 

            Job was a man of fear, praying for his sons that they not be punished by God for something they did in feasting. At the end, Job no longer walks in fear of God’s retribution or punishment, but sees the goodness, majesty and wonder of God.  Job trusts God’s goodness and is no longer in fear of Him.
 
            Job believes that there is purpose in his testing. He speaks boldly, “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.” To Job, the testing is to reveal His goodness. This isn’t what happens. Job doesn’t come out as gold. 

            I note that it isn’t  Job that comes out as gold at the end. After God reveals Himself,  Job says, “Therefore, I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Job does not consider that he came through like gold. The testing reveals Job’s lack, in the place where he receives God’s great abundance and mercy in restoration. GOD comes through as gold. God blesses Job at the end, but not because of anything he did. IF we believe God blesses for our actions, then the actions God blessed were, 1) Job coming to end of himself, 2) Job seeing God for who He truly is. 
 
            The transformation in Job’s life didn’t come as he was proven ‘golden’ but as He saw the God who is (golden) perfect in all His ways. 
 
            The New Testament version of this is that testing reveals the substance something is made of, not what it is not. Brass is not tested to show it is not gold, rather gold is tested to prove that it is gold. In a like way, God tests us – not to show us what/who we are not, but rather to reveal the truth about us. Over 200 times in the Bible He speaks of our identity, IN HIM. We are loved, righteous, pure, holy, chosen, adopted, sons and daughters, the bride, undefiled, forgiven, etc. etc. When we are tested, it is so that He comes through as gold. He lives in us, we have His nature, we are new creations and God acts as the sculptor who tap, tap, taps away the lies we believe about ourselves, often based on our actions, behaviors, or the judgment of others, all to reveal the gold within, “Christ in me.” Scripture says, “in Him we live and move and have our being.” Sometimes, I need to be reminded that my life is His and my true desires are His. 
 
               Second, with respect to Job not finding God. 
 
            In our desperation we often do not see God's presence in our lives. God tells us to 'stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today', and 'the Lord shall fight for you and you shall hold your peace' and 'in returning and rest you shall be saved' and 'He is not found in the wind, or earthquake or fire, but in the still small voice’ and ‘a rest remains for the children of God’ and ‘He makes me lie down beside the still waters’ and from Jesus, ‘Peace I leave with you, peace I give you….let not your heart be troubled.” In trials, in tribulation, in trouble and when our worlds are shaking we are invited to choose to stop... look to Him - at Him as He reveals Who He is for us. It was in 'seeing God - although he had heard of him in the past' that he was able to go on, to walk in his gifting (as one who prays), and to find peace even while he was still afflicted. 
 
               This is the beauty of Job.

“Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10
Sometimes you will not know or believe anything is happening as you are still before Him. In these times, He is working in your spirit and not in your soul. Your emotions, thoughts and desires do not change, but you change. These may be our most fruitful times with Him. Instead of sensing no progress and walking away, these are the very times we get to push through, struggle and remain still. 
 
In our microwave society, He invites us to come and sit awhile with Him. Breath the air around Him. Enjoy the peace that pervades this place and allow time to pass. Time for you to appreciate this place and develop a longing and deep hunger for it. Time for Him to interact with you, Spirit to spirit, not giving something to your spirit, or changing it, or correcting it, but speaking and reminding your spirit of its perfection. “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.” Phil 2:13 NLT. His working in you is reminding you of truth. His work, His creative work of making all new things has long been completed and its fullness is within you. Now! His current “work” is revelatory. He reveals to you what has already been created within you, your perfection.

The dentist whitens or straightens your teeth, but you have to look to see the change. The hairdresser cuts and styles your hair but you have to look to see how perfectly it frames your face and how beautiful you are. His Spirit whispers to ours, that we are perfect in Him and He encourages us to walk in this truth. So, choose to be still. Choose to trust that when you sense nothing happening, He IS at work to convince you of who you really are. As He reveals these things to you, you begin to believe. As you believe, you cannot help but be attracted towards Him. As you are attracted towards Him, to know more, and to more fully know the One speaking these truths within you, you are doing what pleases Him…getting to know Him, allowing Him to love you and from this place where you are fully known and fully loved, you step forth into the world around you bearing His fragrance…LOVE.

Ps 144:1 Praise the Lord, who is my rock. He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle.
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David was a man of war and was not allowed to build His temple. Such encouragement in this. God created each of us. We each have a purpose, a gifting in life and God trains each of us. The thing David is trained for isn’t good to build the house of the Lord, but is Good for the survival and establishment of the nation. 

The beauty if two part. Often, we do not appreciate who/what we are called to be. Feet desire to be eyes who desire to be hands, and so on. Sometimes we see a need and want to meet that need, just like David. 

Each of us has vision and sees things that ‘are not’…yet. And each of us in our zeal desire to walk forth ad do that undone thing. Very often we walk forward and do that thing – that undone thing. Yet, it wasn’t ours to do. God had created us for something different, something unique, something specific and He had created someone else to fulfill that undone thing. 

In this, I find Him revealing to me the true boundaries of my gifting and call. It brings peace because those areas I saw that needed tending and desired to address were never fully comfortable for me – in ease, in responsibility, in ability. It was not what I was called and trained to put my hands to. 

What are the areas you struggle in? Where do you desire to serve and minister and help that burdens you yet challenges you? Ask Him about it. Let Him show you what He has trained your hands for and perhaps to open your eyes to see the person/people He has trained to do this other thing, effortlessly. 
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*Do NOT hear that what comes easy and naturally is always Him. That for sure is a lie. Do not hear that if you face struggles in walking out the desire of your heart that it is NOT His leading. That, too is a lie. DO allow Him to define the specifics of your training, talent and tools that you may attend to these things, preferentially and release the rest to others.

​Acts 13:47 I have made you a light to the gentiles to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth (from Isaiah 49:6)

What is the purpose of a light? It illuminates what is around it. So many Christians believe their walk, their life, is intended to look perfect so that people will see the result of their faith in Christ.

This is so mistaken!

All through Scripture God does not look at appearance, He looks at the heart. Our heart, our light, Christ within, is reflected in our situation, circumstances, and trials; but that is NOT the fullness of the truth. 

Consider it this way. We stand in the world which will bring trials and tribulations according to Jesus’ own words. It is in the difficulties, in the dark times that our light shines and is seen most clearly. 

On a clear, bright, sunny day a lit bulb goes unnoticed, but in the darkest tempest it becomes a lighthouse leading others from the storm to safety.

Christian, do not think that you bear salvation to others only in the easy days of summer. No! Rather be encouraged that it is during the storms, tempests and trials, bearing an eternal light of glory-in-grace that others find you real, pertinent, trustworthy and a safe harbor. 

Do not despise the trials around you.  Do not despise the difficulties you are in for they bring attention to the Eternal Life and Light within you. Be not concerned to judge your maturity during the hard times, for it is Him who causes the seed to grow and bear fruit. 
 
Rather, look to Him to be reminded of your heart – His heart within – a perfect heart. 
 
Stand recklessly in the wind and rain that will not move you. Stick out your tongue, catch the rain. Spread wide your arms to feel the power of the storm. Dance wildly in the puddles and play in the mud for this is your life – a light to the gentiles and a wonder to behold.                           Selah. 
 

Can a child act like a monkey? Does that make him one? Can a dog or cat speak words as a human? Does that make them a human? No! DNA is independent of action/behavior. We function best when we function in accord with our DNA, but when we do not it does not change our DNA. As a child, I was a Leventhal. Certain behaviors were expected of us, but when I did not act in accordance with these behaviors (and I did not at times, surprise) I was still born of Bernie and Sandi and would always be a Leventhal with Leventhal DNA. A deeper truth is that I am a child of God with His DNA. Somehow my parents DNA is a subset of His DNA. I'm a Leventhal-Child of God. You may be a Jone's- or Martin-Child of God. And in the same flow as the child and dog/cat above, I don't always act in accordance with my DNA...but my DNA is the truest thing about me. I'm the baby bird with wings that doesn't know how to use them yet. Or at least not fully. Yet, everything I need is wit me, and I'm growing in the truth and the ability to walk in the fullness of who I am in Christ, according to my DNA...Christ in me IS the hope of glory and HOPE is not a future event as in the English language. In Greek, it is a hope ASSURED. ​