*Thursday Reflection*

*Thursday Reflection*

*May 14, 2020*

*God knows your heart*

*Will it be well with you when he searches you out? Or can you deceive him, as one person deceives another? Job 13:9*

In the verse above Job ask his friends two very important questions that I believe we should ask ourselves at different points in our lives.

*1.) When God searches us will it be well with us?*

*2.) Is the life we’re living one of deception?*

I want to paint the context so that we understand the questions being asked by Job. God allowed Satan to attack Job in an effort to prove the faithfulness of Job. So Satan attacked Job and he lost everything, family, servants, and animals. Even his skin was attacked with sores in the form of boils. Losing so much so quickly caused Job to become despondent.

He was visited by three friends who came to comfort him. However, they did the opposite. They accused Job of sinning which led to his punishment by God. They were of the belief that it is as a result of one’s sins why you are punished, but this was not the case for Job. However, the friends were adamant and began to “speak” on behalf God with the false notion that Job had sinned why God punished him.

Job responding to his friends stated that he did not sin and challenged them to examine what they were saying. He therefore asked in verse 9, if God was to search them would it be well with them?

Job asked the question because he believed that his friends were misrepresenting God. The truth is that still happens today. There are many false prophets who misrepresent God and give false information concerning God and so if God examine these people would it be well with them and God?

Even though the text is specific I want to ask the question generally. If God was to search each of us today, right now, would it be well with us and God? Would the result of that search find us in a good position with God or a bad one. If God was to search how we treat others would God be pleased with us or disappointed? If God examined how we treat him, would he be happy with us or sad? If God examined how we are living our lives, would God say well done or you have fallen miserably short? If God was supposed to search us would it reveal that we love our enemies as ourselves? Would it reveal that we place God first or put others above him? I believe this is a question we should ask ourselves: if God was to search me today, would it be well between me and God?

The second question asked by Job speaks to a life of deception. Can you deceive God as one person deceives another? The friends of Job thought they were living for God by suggesting that Job had sinned why God punished him. Here is the danger of situation. Job’s friends did not see anything wrong with what they were doing. There are many people living lives of deceit, pretending to be what they are not or worse not knowing or realising that the life they are living is one of deceit.

The question asked by Job indicates that human beings can be deceived, but God cannot be deceived. So we are called to a life of introspection. Am I living a double standard life? Am I saying I am a Christian, but still living in sin? Am I Christian but still hurting others by the words I say and the actions I perform? Am I speaking ill of you behind your back but smile and pretend to be friends before you?

We are called to examine our actions. Will it be well with us if God is to search us today and is the life I am living one of deceit or honesty?

*Until next week ask God to reveal the things that are wrong in our lives and work on them through the power of the Holy Spirit.*

*Shalom*

*Christopher Euphfa*