Our daily reflections follow the M'Cheyne Bible reading plan, designed for those who want to read the whole Bible in one year. Each reflection focuses on one of the chapters from that day's readings. Darllenwch rhain yn Gymraeg.
Lord, prepare me to receive your word. Clear my mind and warm my heart. Assure me of your loving purposes for me, and speak into my life today.
Job seems overwhelmed as he ends his speech. Life is short and full of trouble; it withers like a flower; it’s as fleeting as a shadow (verses 1–2). Why does God bother to notice him when his life seems so insignificant (verse 3)?
His suffering seems relentless, slowly wearing him down to death. If only he could hibernate somewhere until God’s apparent anger has passed (verse 13). If he must die, if only he could regenerate like a tree resprouting from its dead stump (verses 7–9). He longs for renewal and a restored relationship with God (verses 15–17) but, as far as he knows, the dead don’t come back to life (verse 10). If even mountains fall and crumble away, what hope is there for man (verses 18–22)?
This chapter makes bleak and mournful reading. But in the light of the New Testament, the picture looks radically different.
Can the dead live again? Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, yes they can! And ‘can anyone bring a clean thing out of an unclean’ (verse 4)? Again, the answer is yes. ‘We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing … Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him … So you must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 6.6, 8 and 11).
So, the incredible news is, we need not be discouraged even when we suffer. As Paul writes to the Corinthians, ‘Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison’ (2 Corinthians 4.16–17).
Father God, thank you that because Jesus died in our place, we are dead to sin but alive to you. Thank you for restoring our relationship with you and adopting us into your family.
This reflection was written by Esther King, Digital Communications Officer at Bible Society
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