But he knows where I am going.
And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.
For I have stayed on God’s paths;
I have followed his ways and not turned aside.
I have not departed from his commands,
but have treasured his words more than daily food.
Job 23:10-12 NLT
“Any thoughts on dinner?” is a common question in my home. There are times I think we build our lives around meals. Planning our arrivals or departures to accommodate ensuring that we, along with our children, get fed on time. Let’s face it, dealing with a “hangry” person is no fun, especially a hangry toddler. Mealtimes are essential to the organization of our day, but how often do we build our day around eating spiritual food?
Job delighted partaking in God’s word. Job is described as a man of integrity (Job1:1) who feared God and turned away from evil; even God acknowledged his blameless character (2:3). In reading, we see that God allows Job to suffer at the hand of the adversary. In 23:10-12, Job shares that he knows that despite the trials that he is experiencing, he will pass the test. He will come out as pure gold. Why is he so confident? Because Job followed the path God set before him. He followed God’s commands in His word. He valued the word of God above natural urges and physical comforts, like food. In the end, God blesses Job with even more than he had in the beginning. The overarching theme is that despite suffering, our Father is a God of restoration.
As we start the new year, let’s make sure we’re not spiritually hangry. How are you ensuring that you stay spiritually fed? Are you accessing the word of God daily? Today, I challenge you to look at how much time you spend with God and look for ways to increase it. Maybe it’s reading one verse each day or adding daily prayer time. Look for ways to increase the frequency of your communication with God. I promise that His word will satisfy your soul in ways the world never can.
This year, we are doing 365 Days in the Bible to stretch ourselves to meet with God each and every day. By dwelling in His word, we find eternal truths, our identity, and purpose. We invite you join in with us, you can start at the beginning or jump in where we are. If you have another plan that you’d like to read, that’s fine. The goal is to be in the word each day. We know that we will be forever changed by reading God’s word.
