Collected or prepared by Pastor Wilfred Chung

May 16 - May 22, 2010

May 16, 2010 - The Reward Of A Great Father

Mediation of Esther 10

The book of Esther closed with some great words concerning Mordecai, the foster father of Esther. He was highly exalted in the Persian Kingdom under King Xerxes. He sought the good welfare for his own people.

He had come to his great position was because of his care and teaching of his daughter who was not his own offspring. Esther's parents were killed probably due to the exile from their own country to Persia. Mordecai took such a good care of Esther that she became the savior for all the Jews.

A godly and caring father will always be rewarded.

May 17, 2010 - The Correct Concept Of Man's Possession

Meditation on Job 1

When Job was severely tested by God, all his earthly possessions were taken away. His ten children were killed in a hurricane. He was left penniless. Only his wife was with him. He was mournful but worshipful. He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD." (v. 21 NASB)

He clearly understood that all that he had, including his children were from God alone. And if God allowed what he had to be taken away, he still blessed the LORD. He did not sin nor did he blame God. (v. 22)

May we all learn this hard lesson. Then we would have the right idea of how to use what God has given to accomplish His purpose for not only ourselves and our family but also for others who need our assistance.

May 18, 2010 - False Accusation

Meditation on Job 4

Job's unbearable grief and physical suffering caused him to curse his own birth. So his three friends began to answer his cry after seven days of silence. The first one here was Eliphaz, the oldest among them. He tried to recognize the strength of Job in the past and encouraged him to live by acknowledging God's judgment on his life.

Eliphaz had determined that Job must have done wrong and sinned against God. That was why Job was suffering. He even used his so called spiritual experience to claim that he had revelation to know that Job was not innocent. He was insinuating that Job might have been mighty in life like a lion but then was punished by God.

As we study to the end of the story, we realize that Eliphaz was wrong. His understanding was limited. Yet his attack on Job was deadly. His comforting words had in fact turned into a lie or false application of his own impression. He was not only proud but he was also a hypocrite. In fact his words made Job angrier.

May we ask the Holy Spirit to help us in comforting those in suffering so we would not imply that we judge them but rather acknowledge our own ignorance and problem as well.

May 19, 2010 - Can Tradition Answer The Question Of Suffering?

Meditation on Job 8

As Job continued to defend for his innocence, the second friend, Bildad began his attack on Job. He pointed out that the tradition of mankind would teach that Job must have done wrong to deserve his current problems. Job's children may have sinned against God to cause their destruction. God's judgment was manifested in the case of Job. Bildad's final attempted to encourage Job to hope in God had actually turned into the hint that Job had sinned.

What a comforter he was? Bildad's human logic resulted also in the wrong accusation of Job. He had also failed to speak the words of encouragement at the right time. Relying on tradition and logic may not necessary give man the answer to suffering. We need to look to God for the final answer. God has his own reason and plan to show his mercy and love for man and to manifest His glory to mankind.

May 20, 2010 - The Faith Of Job

Meditate on Job 13

Job's third friend, Zophar could not stand Job's insistence of his innocence. He proclaimed God's righteousness and promises in an exaggerating way to call on Job for repentance. But Job said that his friends were no better than him. In fact, he called his friends forgers and lies and worthless physicians.

The noblest words that tells us that Job was an overcomer was in verses15 to 16, "Though He slay me, Yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. He also shall be my salvation, for a hypocrite could not come before Him." (NIV)

Though Job had experienced all kinds of sufferings one can imaging plus all the attacks from his friends, he still trusted in God. He thought that God may want to get rid of him in this life, yet he did not abandon Him. Instead he still looked to God for salvation and mediator. That was real faith. He had stood the test.

In our life, no matter what happened to us whether good or bad, we should learn from Job and the three friends of Daniel before they were thrown into the burning furnace, we still trust in God. Our faith would be rewarded.

May 21, 2010 - Hopelessness In Hope

Meditation on Job 16

Job's friends continued their own assessments about Job's suffering. Eliphaz had become more severe in his attack. He did not try to comfort Job any more but directly and indirectly scolded Job that what he was suffering was entirely the faults of Job and his children. So Job responded in this chapter that he was pure. He complained about his friends and to his God. But at the same time he still had hope in God. (v. 18-22)

In his hopeless situation, he still showed his faith in front of his friends. He pleaded to God for His defense. In the eyes of the world and of himself, Job seemed to have no future at all. But he clinked on to God and expressed to God about his sufferings. We have no way to comprehend the intense pain and agony that Job had at that time. But we cannot help but to admire his unshakable faith in the midst of suffering.

May we look to the Lord to grant us this kind of trust in Him. Let us hope in God even in the overwhelming circumstance of hopelessness.

May 22, 2010 - Believer's Hope Is Not In This World

Meditation on Job 19

Bildad, the second friend could not wait but ferociously accuse Job in the second round. He kept talking about the punishment upon the wicked as if Job was one. But Job did not give in to these barrages of attack. Job pointed out that he had been insulted by his friends ten times. But Job took all that happened to him were from God. Though he had been forsaken by his friends, former servants, children and anyone else, he took it as God's persecution upon him.

Throughout all these immense suffering, Job realized that there might not be hope in this world and from the people of this world. The only hope he looked to was his Redeemer. His knew that he would see God for sure. (v. 25-26) He trusted that God will judge everyone including his accusers.

Again what genuine faith Job had when he proclaimed, "As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth." (v. 25 NASB) Even though he knew that he would only be able to see God after this life and his hope is not in this world, God would one day take His stand on this world still.