Refined On The Way

"But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside."  (Job 23:10-11 NIV)

Unlike Job, I would dare to say that none of can say that we have kept to the way of the Lord without ever turning aside. There have been moments in all of our lives. "As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
    there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God.
All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one. (Rom 3:10-12)

Job was an amazing man who was always faithful to the Lord according to most interpretations of the story. I have never been able to fully accept this. I've been around. I know people. I know me. I have a very difficult time accepting that anyone is that righteous. He may have closely followed. He may have even kept to his way without turning aside. But, I wonder if he ever stumbled on the path and was in need of being picked back up by the Lord. If he had not; if he was perfectly righteous to begin with why would he say that was he was tested he would come forth as gold?

Job was tested and when he was he did; after all, question God.  He was not at all happy about the trials that God was allowing him to be tested with. He was quite grieved. We too become grieved when put through trials and testings. We become grieved when we walk through fiery ordeals. But, just as Job did, we need to remember that the fires are meant to refine so that once we have walked through the fire we will come out more pure than even silver or gold when they have been refined.

Be careful to stay on the path. You may feel like you are stumbling and falling; but, be assured the Lord will lift you up. According to the prophecy of Daniel: "Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time." (Dan 11:35)

    I will refine them like silver
    and test them like gold.
They will call on my name

    and I will answer them;
I will say, ‘They are my people,’
    and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.

(Zech 13:9) 

God's Peace - Pr. J