Practice, Practice, Practice…

August 29, 2012 Bible Reading

Job 31:1-33:33
2 Corinthians 3:1-18
Psalms 43:1-5
Proverbs 22:8-9

The story of Job is one of my favorites. Why? Several reasons… It’s argued to be the oldest book in the Bible and yet it has struggles in it that we can all relate to (hopefully you never encounter the devastation Job did, but we can relate to his story in some ways). Also, it is written so that the reader has the insight of knowing that Job is innocent. We are told early on that Satan is his enemy pursuing him, not God. I just think it’s brilliant (my friend Liam’s word… brilliant).

Although it may seem to go on and on with these arguments back and forth of who is right and who is wrong, the Book of Job does a fantastic job of exploring our thoughts and reactions when we encounter “crisis” in our lives. How do we react to “crisis”? Are we oblivious? Do we pray? Do we withdraw? Engage? Struggle? Start a fight? Turn to an idol? (money, sex, exercise, anything that you put your trust in other than God). What is our reaction?

With me, I had gotten so far from the Spiritual Heart that Jesus put in me and paid for with His life that it actually felt, well… weird the first time I prayed for His help in a “crisis”. How often though? How often do we stop to ask God what to do or to come into the situation and fight along side us? Or to enter into our situation and comfort us? Usually we do it when tragedy strikes.

Practice. Practice. Practice… We’ve all heard it right? Well I plan to practice daily on taking things to God for help. He is available for us. He loves us. He wants us as a friend. Why would He not want me to consult His counsel in my life? I heard someone say this quote the other day and I don’t know where it is from or who originally said it.

Don’t practice until you get it right… practice until you can’t get it wrong.

I plan to take that approach to prayer and guidance from the Holy Spirit.

Back to Job. The other reason I like The Book of Job is because it mirrors real life in that God SHOWS UP.

Until Tomorrow…