Short Thoughts

I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear:
but now mine eye seeth thee.
Wherefore I abhor myself,
and repent in dust and ashes.
~ Job 42:5-6

Job was a man that had come into great calamity, but things began to happen when he got serious about repentance. The scriptures testify of him, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil” (Job 1:1). Job was a man that walked in his integrity. His character was blameless before God and man. Nevertheless, trouble came upon him.

Job was a man that had heard God. He was strong in the faith and had become a teacher of good things. He had strengthened many in their afflictions and helped many of the weak to bear their burdens. “Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled” (Job 4:3-5). Now he seeks consolation for his own spirit in the midst of tribulation.

He confesses that he has spoken words that he believes to be true and yet does not fully understand. “Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not” (Job 42:3). He has heard of God and has given forth his knowledge. He confesses now his own ignorance and slow understanding. He comes into closer contact with the Almighty “but now mine eye seeth thee” and under His shadow finds much to repent of, where he had previously found no flaw.

Let us now consider the repentance of Job. May God give grace to understand and faith to believe His testimony. Jesus said that men who love darkness would not come to the light because their deeds would be manifested. Therefore, let us come to the light that we may discover our sin and repent.

As long as Job stood afar off, he could think that he did well. He was not absent from all worship of God, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear.” There is no telling how far his misery would progress as long as he was content to dwell in the outer court being satisfied with the hearing of his ears and not seeking the light with his eyes. But he began to draw nearer to God and as he came “under the shadow of the Almighty,” the light reproved him.

He had once thought himself well and now saw himself vile. “But now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Job found disgust in his own members. He cried as Paul, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing” (Romans 7:18). God had charged Job with darkening “counsel with words without knowledge” (Job 38:2). In the light of God’s presence, Job agreed and confessed his own guiltiness (Job 42:3).

Job’s repentance was the kind spoken of by Joel the prophet, “And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil” (Joel 2:13). His was not sorrow for consequences or the sorrow of the world in outward show. His was a godly sorrow, a sorrow of the heart, and a real sorrow for sin in his flesh. His thoughts ran with the Psalmists who said, “Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:12-14). Oh for hearts that will sorrow over sin! The Psalmists seeks cleansing from secret faults. Sins so subtle in the flesh that he has not discovered them.

If we draw near to God we will discover our own unworthiness. We will fall on our faces and plead with Him to be delivered from sin. If we desire to be an inner court worshiper we must come into His presence. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1).

Do you wish to find the joy that exists in His presence? Do you wish to be of those that “sat down under his shadow with great delight” (Song of Solomon 2:3)? Then get serious about repentance. Fall on your face before the High God and pour out your heart in all honesty. Stop rationalizing and justifying your sins. Don’t say, “Well, I haven’t done anything all that bad.” God says in His Word, “Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings” (Jeremiah 3:22).

“Jesus wept.”
~ John 11:35

We have before us the shortest verse in the entire Bible. It may be empty of words but it is full of matter. In the eleventh chapter is the account of the raising of Lazarus. His sisters, Mary and Martha, had sent word to Jesus saying, “Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.” After He received this message he tarried where He was for two days before setting out for Bethany.

By the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus “had lain in the grave four days already.” As He approached Bethany, Martha met him first and later Mary met him. They were weeping and grieving over the loss of their brother. The Jews that followed Mary were also weeping audibly. Jesus saw all this mourning, the Bible says “He groaned in the spirit and was troubled,” and He asked, “Where have ye laid him?” When He was about to come to the grave of Lazarus, “Jesus wept.” As we stand in awe and behold the God-Man weeping, I shall endeavor to answer some questions, at least to provide us with comfort and encouragement.

First, Why did Jesus weep? He had testified, “This sickness is not unto death.” Could He have felt sorrow for Lazarus? He knew Lazarus’ state. Lazarus had escaped the sin and sorrow of the world. If Christ did weep at all for Lazarus, it would have been in sorrow that he was going to return to this sin-cursed world and leave a perfect rest.

Jesus was brought into sympathy with Mary, Martha, and the other Jews that were mourning. We see here His humanity manifested. He took up the robe of flesh and traversed the whole human experience. The scriptures declare He “was in all points tempted like as we are” (Hebrews 4:15). He knew exhaustion, hunger, thirst, pain, sorrow, grief, and the like. The prophet of old said He would be “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). He is not a cold stony god of men’s imaginations. He is the living God and He is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Hebrews 4:15). We find here a great compassion. It is a cold heart indeed that is not moved at the sight of a grieving family bidding farewell to their departed loved one. Jesus Christ was moved with compassion and wept with those that wept.

Second, What can we learn from this instance? We certainly know that we should have compassion, mourning with those that mourn and seeking to comfort them and be a blessing to them. Paul instructed the Romans to “condescend to men of low estate” (Romans 12:16). He also wrote, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). We are our brother’s keeper and we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. From example as well as precept, Jesus teaches us to have compassion. We also have a golden key to prayer supplied in this verse.

Jesus said, “Follow me.” He also said, “Come ye after me,” and “learn of me.” The child of God is to be a student of the life of Christ. We ought always to be tracing out His steps, seeking to walk there ourselves. If Christ has suffered and been tempted like we, then we find matter for our petitions. Are you sorrowing? Have you been visited by death and lost that one who was close? You should find encouragement here to pray. Go to Christ, plead His own experience and apply for sufficient grace. If you are weeping, go to Him that wept. If you are in pain, go to Him that suffered pain. Whatever your plight, He knows your experience and He will take care of you. It is precisely these instances that appeal to us making Jesus so approachable and accessible.

We find here a compassionate Savior. We find here a friend and a loving God. How much did Christ love His people? How much did He identify with them? “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). The love of Christ “passeth knowledge.” But finding one so in touch with your weakness urges you to be “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

“Hallelujah, what a Savior!”

“The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus,
when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books,
but especially the parchments.”
~ 2 Timothy 4:13

Upon first glance, this verse may seem of no great consequence. Paul is simply asking his young friend Timothy to come to him and bring some of his personal possessions with him. However, I believe “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). More than once, A. W. Pink wrote that the Bible was not written for a lazy man. The Word opens up its treasures only for those who “labour in the word and doctrine.” The Holy Spirit has not moved “holy men of God” to speak in vain and, therefore, nothing trivial is bound in “the volume of the book” that God has given. With this in mind, let us meditate upon God’s Word and receive profit thereby.

Paul the aged confesses that his days are ending writing, “the time of my departure is at hand.” Our text somewhat reveals the mind of a man facing the reality of his own death. He tells Timothy in verse 9, “Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:” and in our text says, “when thou comest.”

One by one all of his companions had left him. They all had their reasons and maybe even plead their work as sufficient grounds. In verse 11, he says, “Only Luke is with me.” He is here urging Timothy to come with haste. Paul certainly had no time to waste and he longed for his truest friends to be with him.

He also told Timothy to “Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.” Paul had once called Mark “Apostate” (ref. Greek Acts 15:38) and refused to take him on a missionary journey. He was so strong in his conviction that it caused a sharp contention and separated his chief friend Barnabas from him. Now Paul considers him useful and wants his presence with his closest friends. Time and labor have a way of healing old wounds. Paul shows grace and wisdom is not holding on to an old grudge. He acknowledges that Mark has made good and overcome the defect that Paul early detected.

I was talking with a couple of older brethren once and the name of a certain man came up in conversation. The oldest fellow was asked if he knew this man. “Yeah, I know him” was his reply with obvious distaste. He proceeded to tell us that he “didn’t care anything for him.” He had said something nearly 20 years ago that upset this now elderly man. He could not remember what was said, or even what it was about, and he had not seen him in almost 20 years, but he was determined as ever to hold on to his grudge and dislike for the man.

What an amazing waste of energy, emotion, and time this is to remain angry over forgotten offenses. Paul had told the Philippians, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). Part of reaching forth is forgetting what is behind. Furthermore, in an attitude of brotherly kindness let us be “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Colossians 3:13). In this Paul is a great example.

Paul furnishes us with another great example in his dwindling hours. Paul had requested Timothy to bring his coat and also “the books.” He desired to have another look at his old books. Almost every preacher realizes the value of good books and especially The Book. Paul is a bound prisoner and the sun is setting quickly on his life, what should he do? Maybe Paul should retire and rest. I mean, what can he do? His request for his books gives an insight into his mind in his waning hours. He told Timothy that God had put him “into the ministry.” I believe he is resolved that with whatever time, health, and strength he has, he is going to stay at it.

He took a great interest in young preachers and endeavored to encourage and help them along as he could. He told Timothy, “make full proof of thy ministry.” He sent word to Archippus to “Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it.” He had said of himself, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Corinthians 9:27). He is a tremendous example and testimony. Paul was faithful unto the end, faithful even unto death. His words carry a great weight when viewed in the light of his own steadfastness. Whatever time he had, he was going to improve it for the work of the Lord.

Paul here provides us with a key to a successful ministry and Christian life. We should forget and forgive past infractions. We cannot move forward always looking back. We also should stick to the work at all times, and in all places and conditions. If God has put us into the ministry, then He is also one day going to take us out. If we have done all to stand, we can one day reflect with joy that we have finished our course and fought a good fight.