Life May NOT be Brighter…
Zophar's simplistic and idealistic philosophy is quite similar to a lot of current, shallow 'dogma' presented by media religious personalities today! The reality is - Life May NOT be Brighter…Job 11.13-19.
The premise is simple, "...if you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him, if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent..." then, "(l)ife will be brighter than noonday(.)"
How would you like a simple guarantee like that? Who wouldn't?! Unfortunately, life isn't that simple - Christian or not. If you ever hear someone promise that everything will be great if you only become a Christian, or give an offering, or buy a certain book, or have some specified mystical experience, RUN. That wasn't the message of Jesus.
The Bible encourages us by saying, "Don't be surprised when bad things (trials) come upon you..." and, "All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer tribulation." Encourages us? Yes, for 'to be forewarned is to be fore-armed.'
My Dad's philosophy in life was to expect the worse and if anything good happened he would be pleasantly surprised. That's not where I'm going with this, although I think there might be some merit in having a slightly modified, and certainly a less cynical, approach when understanding the ways of our "enemy." It says of the "enemy" that after his attacks on Jesus, Satan "departed until an opportune time."
The encouragement of Zophar is excellent, 'devote your heart to God, reach out to Him, put away sinfulness and don't tolerate evil in your home.' We could go to great lengths and find much scripture to affirm this statement of Zophar's as being core theology and necessary to godliness.
However, the deduction and process of reasoning is greatly flawed. It is not unusual to hear a preacher give a poignant and moving appeal to righteousness only to end in some coercive missive designed to build his own kingdom numerically and/or financially. Then there are those, perhaps such as Zophar, who are earnestly driven to make disciples in a given image rather than allowing the processes of the Holy Spirit to work in the heart, individually and privately.
Whether talking about salvation or the subsequent pilgrimage, we must allow room for the Holy Spirit to do His own work, in His own time, in His own way. He may not call on us for any assistance at all, other than our normal and unceasing calling to love and encourage.
If we take any lessons from the prophets and apostles we learn that the life of a person, sold out to God, might be anything but easy. As has been rehashed many times, bad things do happen to good people. Are there lessons to be learned in these bad times? I would think it inevitable, however, not necessarily always for the one in the fire of a trial.
There are times when our lives are to serve mainly, even if only momentarily, as an example for others. Perhaps your trial by fire is serving as a great example to me...this is how I should live, love and respond to adversity. Thank you!
You may only find out in eternity how the example of your time in the fiery furnace has produced eternal results in the lives of others.
Go ahead...'devote your heart to God, reach out to Him, put away sinfulness and don't tolerate evil in your home.' Even if Satan reaches out his hand toward you, you'll eternally be glad you chose to live godly.