Thursday, November 30, 2006

Watching My Words

As I write this morning, the streets and sidewalks are white with sleet. It has been coming down pretty heavily over the last 30 minutes. Today is my big study day, so I think I will settle in here at the house, build a fire, and do my studying.

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Last night, it was raining in sheets. We got to church in the middle of it. The building was flooding in some spots. We all gathered in the Fireplace Room (probably 50 who showed up) and had a devotional. It was a special "family" time. I really appreciated Craig Jordan's thoughts about our speech. I so want to be someone who could be described as Eliphaz described Job (Job 4: 4): "Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees."

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If you live in the area of this winter storm, PLEASE be careful today.

4 comments:

Jeff said...

Enjoy your study by the fire. That sounds like a good day shaping up.

Craig's comments were so good for us to think about last night. My daughter is at that age when girls starting to get mean to each other and it's hard when you hear about it happening to your own. I also had to think about the many times I have said something and wished I could stuff those words back in my mouth. I hope my words and my heart will become more pure in the days to come.

Unknown said...

Studying by the fire sounds delightful. I wish I were doing the same, but I'm hoping to be able to head out to the deer lease this afternoon (or sooner because my patients are dropping like flies with this bad weather). I love hunting in this weather. I just hope I can get out to Throckmorton county.

Yes, Craig's remarks were indeed good for us. I find Eliphaz's comment ironic in Job 4 and the person, Eliphaz, unfortunately hits home with me. Too bad the compliment he paid to Job could not be said about himself. He praises Job in verse 4 then goes on to basically curse him and tell him in the following verses that the suffering that he (Job) is going through must be a result of wickedness in Job's life (which we know from the previous chapters is not the result of Job's sin but a spiritual duel between Satan and the Lord).

I, however, am certainly in no position to judge Eliphaz because I, myself, have made that same connection also. You know the connection between do good get good, do bad get bad. The connection is so prevalent in our society-- in fact it is the whole basis behind the erroneous "health and wealth gospel" that we've commented on in previous weeks.

Maybe we should learn from Eliphaz's arrogance that we don't have the complete picture to this world we live in (he nor Job had any knowledge of what was going on in the spirital realm with God and the Devil)and that our earthly words should indeed be covered with compassion and humility, not arrogance and judgment so it can truly be said of us that our "words have supported those who stumbled."

I have been studying Job lately with the help of a book Tanya Bush loaned me called, "The Gospel According to Job," by Mike Mason. While I have not agreed with everything Mr. Mason purports, his book has been a great help to my understanding suffering in this world. My thanks to Tanya for seeing my struggle and sharing with me.

Well, I guess I better get to work now.

Anonymous said...

Brothers-
Just got back this evening from a couple days in Georgia. In the future I expect y'all to keep Texas in the same condition that I leave it for when I get back. I don't like the snow much. However, today would have been Krystal's 29th birthday and she well and truly loved going out in the snow to play with her dogs.

Rick Ross said...

Randy,

I am so sorry. You and Linda will be in my prayers. I appreciate you both so much!