June 19 ▪ Day 170

Scripture Readings

Psalms 33:11
Job 35–36
Hebrews 11
Proverbs 20

Verse Focus (Psalms 33:11)

But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
     the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Meditation

Happy Juneteenth (for those of you who started this plan on January 1st)! 🙂

Psalms 33:11 says, in the NIV, “But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” What a wonderful Scripture! It encourages me to even just read this verse. As I meditate on the verse, it will encourage me all that much more.

We read of the LORD’s steadfast love, especially in the Psalms. We know that He is love. And it is this very loving and steadfast heart of the LORD that has made plans and purposes for our good — purposes that are just as steady and firm and eternal as He is Himself.

We know that God is unchanging. But have you considered what that means in terms of God’s plans? I know lots of different things about God. But I still have trouble putting it all together — to understand that His constancy affects how time and eternity will play out. God’s promises are firm. How He has worked in the lives of our ancestors, how He has worked in our own lives, and how He will work in the generations after us — He has the same loving heart. The same purpose for good. The same desire to be intimate with us. The same plan to purify us through Jesus.

All I can say is — wow! These plans God has — they are in process. They are standing and will stand firm. These are not tentative, if/then, possibly, maybe plans. These are His eternal purposes. Won’t it be wonderful when we get to heaven and can understand more of what He has done? To use the tapestry metaphor, won’t it be wonderful when we can see the entire picture and not just all the tangled threads?

Father God, thank you that you are steadfast and sure. Thank you that we can count on your plans to make us your own people. Thank you that your purpose is firm. I praise you because nothing can thwart your plans or your good purposes. Nothing can separate us from the love you have for us in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah! Amen.

Yesterday, Elihu confronted Job directly, telling him to his face that he was wrong to believe that God could or would be Job’s enemy. He reminded Job that God is infinitely greater than humankind. God speaks to man in subtle ways, through dreams and visions, or through illness or injury. God uses affliction to refine a person’s character and to draw that person closer to Him. Indeed, God is completely just and sovereign. We depend on God for our very lives. Elihu charges Job with a lack of humility, with failing to recognize his sins, and with rebellion.

In chapter 35, Elihu continues to rebuke Job. Elihu summarizes one of Job’s questions in verse 3, pulling from what Job had said in chapters 9:29 and 21:15. Job had asked God — considering the calamities Job had suffered — how does it benefit Job not to sin against God? Job now feels that there is no profit in righteous living. But Elihu tells Job that he is not looking at it correctly. If a man sins, he does not take anything away from God; if he lives righteously, there is nothing that man gives to God. Elihu tells Job in verse 8, “Your wickedness affects a person like yourself, and your righteousness, a son of man.”

Elihu goes on to speak of those who suffer under oppression due to man’s wickedness. They cry out to God for relief, but fail to recognize the goodness God still gives to them — wisdom and songs in the night (v. 9-11). God does not answer wicked and prideful humans; He does not listen to the empty and vain pleas of those who see only misery and none of the consolations that God gives. How much less, Elihu asks, will God listen to Job when Job fails to see God’s goodness and justice at work? Elihu condemns Job again, saying, in verse 16, “Job opens his mouth in vain and multiplies words without knowledge.”

In chapter 36, Elihu continues to speak of God’s greatness and majesty. He is just. “Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any,” Elihu says in verse 5, “He is mighty in strength of understanding.” God does not keep the wicked alive; he gives justice to the oppressed. He watches over the righteous and exalts them.

However, if people are “bound in chains and caught in the cords of affliction (v. 8),” then God reveals to them their transgressions — He tells them they are “behaving arrogantly.” Those who listen to God and serve Him are restored; they live out “their days in prosperity and their years in pleasantness (v. 11).” Those who do not listen die without knowledge.

Elihu makes an important point in verse 15. “God rescues the afflicted by their affliction,” says Elihu, “He instructs them by their torment.” Indeed, this is what God has done for Job. Elihu warns Job severely in verse 21, saying, “Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction.”

For the rest of the chapter Elihu speaks of God’s majesty. “Behold, God is exalted in his power,” Elihu says in verse 22, “Who is a teacher like him?” God is mighty; no one controls Him. No one can make God do what He doesn’t want to do; no one can judge His ways. Elihu reminds Job to extol God’s work for He is worthy of praise. With poetic images, Elihu speaks of how God controls the weather — rain, storms, and lightning. He provides abundant food; He also judges the nations.

Yesterday’s reading in Hebrews was a bit disturbing as the writer warned of severe judgment against those who profane Christ’s sacrifice and the new covenant by their deliberate sin. Yet as the chapter ended, the writer spoke of his confidence that we are not among those who will be destroyed; on the contrary, we are of those who have faith, thereby preserving our souls (Hebrews 10:39). It is extremely fitting, then, that today’s chapter — Hebrews 11 — is all about what it means to have faith.

In fact, Hebrews 11 has been called the “Hall of Fame of Faith.” The chapter is almost as famous as 1 Corinthians 13. There are a number of verse gems in this chapter; indeed, the whole chapter is worth getting to know very well. I once did a Bible plan that had me reading Hebrews 11 every other day. So for months — years, probably — I read this chapter frequently. I got to know it well. It’s amazing, though, how you can still find new things in material you think you know inside and out.

In the first verse, the writer of Hebrews defines faith for us. This is one of those verse gems: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith is believing in things that are not tangible; however, it’s not just belief, but assurance. Conviction. A firmly held confidence in God. Indeed, verse 6, another gem, tells us, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Before we go any further, however, I’d like to say a few words about doubt. Sometimes young Christians struggle with their faith, feeling like it isn’t good enough. They believe that their faith ought to be pure and unblemished, without even the shadow of doubt — an unwavering conviction. 100 per cent assurance.

Well, it would be nice if we were perfect people. But we’re not. And no one — apart from Christ Jesus — has 100 per cent purity in faith, 100 per cent of the time. Even strong believers have corners of doubt. And those who do have a strong faith likely have had times of great struggle with doubt over different things at different times. When something terrible happens in your life — like Job — your sense of God’s goodness is immediately challenged. And you might waver in your belief on that aspect of His character — for a time.

Our faith grows as we grow. It gets stronger over the years. But it gets stronger because you go through trials and persevere. God is faithful. He knows that we are flawed and that most of us are a mixture of both faith and doubt. Having some doubt doesn’t mean that you have to act on it. You can choose to act on the basis of your faith.

As you read Hebrews 11, as you read the definition of faith (the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen) — if you don’t think this sounds like you, then cry out to God about it. Pray: God, I don’t have assurance. I’m not fully convinced. But I want to be. I want to have the kind of faith that pleases you. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me the assurance I need. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Finally, as important as faith is, let’s not forget that we are saved by the grace of God. We don’t merit salvation. It’s not the purity of our faith that saves us. It’s not how good of a person we are. It’s not even our desire for salvation. No, salvation is God’s gift to us through Jesus Christ. He gives us faith. So if you look at yourself and see that your faith is lacking — well, that’s natural. But that doesn’t mean that your faith can’t or won’t improve. And that’s part of why we read the Bible. To get to know God better. To grow in grace, to grow in faith.

Now, back to Hebrews 11. The writer gives example after example of people who were known for their faith. Abel, whose faith prompted him to bring fat portions and the firstborn of his flocks to offer to God (Genesis 4:4). Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob — all commended for their faith. Joseph, Moses, and Rahab also highlighted for their faith. Not to mention “Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, …David and Samuel and the prophets (v. 32).”

Verse 13 tells us something very important. “All these people were still living by faith when they died,” says the writer of Hebrews. “They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.” Huh, what? They had faith, but they didn’t get what they were promised? Well, yes. They didn’t receive all that was promised because the promise doesn’t refer to life on earth, but to life in our heavenly home. Indeed, our faith and our hope in God has to do with life after death.

Verse 15 has also always struck me as important. The Scripture tells us, “If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.” In other words, if our faith is not fixed on Jesus, if we do not long for our heavenly home — well, there are plenty of opportunities to stray, or to fall away.

As the writer of Hebrews talks about the heroes of faith, he speaks in verses 33 and 34 of those “who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.” But a shift occurs in the next verse. And all of a sudden he’s talking about death, torture, and persecution. The writer tells us that the world was not worthy of these people of faith (v. 38).

The chapter concludes by telling us that all of these people were commended for their faith, but none of them received what was promised. Verse 40 is the real kicker, though. Why not? Why didn’t they receive what was promised? Because “God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” Abraham, Moses, David, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, and Paul — they need us. They need you, and they need me in order to be perfect. Now how’s that for the conclusion to the story of faith?!

Proverbs 20 contains more wisdom for us. From the dangers of alcohol to the dangers of sloth, these verses counsel us on wise behavior. Verse 14 always amuses me at how well it characterizes human behavior. And I love verse 21: “An inheritance gained quickly at the beginning will not be blessed in the end.”

Today, two verses stood out to me. Verse 7 says, “The righteous who walks in his integrity — blessed are his children after him!” We all want the best for our children, and would do anything we can to make their lives better. Here, in a simple proverb, we learn that one of the best things we can do for them is to model righteous living.

Verse 30 is also striking. “Lashes and wounds purge away evil, and beatings cleanse the innermost parts.” One reason why this proverb stands out is because we know of those who might use this proverb as justification for abuse. But in the hand of a wise and loving Father, the discipline is temporarily painful but ultimately effective. This is partly what Elihu was speaking about to Job. Pain — discipline, or self-discipline — is part of how we learn and grow. When you exercise your muscles, you may be stiff and sore. But that’s your muscles being torn down and rebuilt to be stronger. Losing weight involves some pain. Someone struggling against addiction will go through pain before being freed from the cravings. I can’t say that I’m eager to find applications for this particular proverb in my life, but understanding the proverb is a first step.

Father God, our Scripture readings today speak about how you use suffering and affliction to discipline us. Help us to understand correction within the context of your mercy. Please increase our faith and give us the assurance of your love. Thank you for Christ Jesus, who suffered and died so that we could come before you with boldness. In his name, Amen.