Patricia Woolard Woodley writes:
I’ve been studying Job this morning…and I tell you, it just brings tears to my eyes….Oh that we would be so faithful….tho not understanding what has happened….why, tho righteous, all these things are happening….the depths of his agony, his wishing he was never even born…..tho I have known this story all my life and read it….I just was drawn to study it this morning….It so teaches us the meaning of this life is to be faithful to God……not to place our happiness in material or even in the people in our lives…..tho He gives us all those things…..and He intends for us to enjoy them…..but if the point comes when they are all vanished from our lives….if we are all alone, seemingly….we still have our faith…we still have our eternal life…our promised peace after we leave this earth….our eternal happiness….if only we remain faithful and still give Him the glory…….Oh I pray that I can always be as faithful as Job……if only we all could….Lord, I pray this in my prayer…..for faithfulness and understanding…..to place you Lord as my centerpiece on my table of importance….for in reality, you, Lord, are our sustenance, the very source of our lives…..please Lord make us thankful….make us truly aware of your greatness….this I pray this morning that you have blessed us with….In Jesus name….Amen…
Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28
thedailylily.com 
Thank you so much for this beautiful study and reflection. I pray I will hold onto the words for the duration of my life. Thank you for pening it so beautifully. Yes to make God the center piece of my life – my desire and cry. Thank you God!
Patti, I appreciate your insights and encouraging words from your study of Job.They really show what the anchor for our soul is. Also, I would like to say ‘amen’ to your prayer. Thank you.
Thank you, Patti for allowing me to be a part of your study on Job. You are a spiritual teacher, intercessor, missionary, and my friend. When I read your revelation, “…place you Lord as my centerpiece on my table of importance….for in reality, you, Lord, are our sustenance, the very source of our lives…” I see with my creative eye an edible and drinkable centerpiece!
Patti, this is truly the message of the hour for the Bride of Christ….the church out of the church….the five virgins who get to enter into the marriage feast. It seems Job is as new as 2014 as far as what the Body of Christ must decide, endure, persevere in and endure as Job proclaims in his story. To be faithful in the time of testing, trial and persecution/tribulation is what Jesus Christ is surveying as HIS eyelids search the curve of the earth looking for someone who is faithful to the end.
As I draw nearer and nearer to the final time I see that you have judged correctly that nothing material on this earth is as precious to me as my faith in Jesus Christ. And I see that we will, at some point, have to prove that as though tested by fire, just like Job was. But Job decreed, “When He has tried me I’ll come forth as gold. The fires of affliction will not kill my soul.”
I pray that I can also say. “Though He slay me yet will I serve Him.”
Excellent study, Patti. Au Courant
How wonderful the praises of these dear friends Dear Lord…I humbly bow before Thee..for it is not me that should be praised..but Thee. We are vessels that You use to comfort and lead others..This is the meaning of our creation, to journey together as we serve You Lord. I thank you for the blessings of these friends, these servants of Yours that You have placed in my life, to be my help mates, to lead me, to teach me, to pray with and for me, to humble me, to be my companions on this journey to eternal happiness…our reward in heaven…May they help me stay focused, and love me when I am weary, as You do Dear Lord…and may I, through You, be a source of comfort for them, in friendship, sharing your Word, in times of worry or fear…Bless us Dear Father and have us fear not the bumps in this journey…to keep the faith and remain true such as Job did….for the reward is great when we reach our journey’s end…In Your Precious Son’s name I pray…Amen Thank you girls so very much for all the wonderful comments and the honor you have given me….I am so humbled..May we forever stand true and remain Warriors for Him! God be with us!
“It so teaches us the meaning of this life is to be faithful to God……not to place our happiness in material or even in the people in our lives”
Thanks for posting, Patricia.
Tammy, that surely is a power packed statement of truth for many of us to swallow, isn’t it? At times when we swallow the disappointment of people in our lives it feels like a stomach the size of 9 months of pregnancy, yet no birthing it seems. Reading Patti’s teaching on Job gives the reality there is a birthing of twins, Faith and Hope!
Do you remember this scripture found in Isaiah 26:17…”As a pregnant woman about to give birth writhes and cries out in her pain, so were we in your presence, Lord.”
Patti prays for “faithfulness and understanding.” There is so much mystery in these two words for me. Faith looks into dark and understanding turns on a light. To make God’s Word a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path I must understand. Psalm 119:104-106 “…From Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way…Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. I have sworn and I will confirm it, That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.…” Obedience is the brightness of our light.
Sara,
I had to look up and read this scripture in Isaiah. I read on down through verse 19 and the footnotes for verses 16-19. The footnotes end in a question…….””Can you wait patiently for God to act?” Often times I don’t wait patiently, for God. How ridiculous to not allow the Creator of the universe handle whatever our circumstances are, in His timing. (even when one feels as if they are carrying the load of a “9 month twin pregnancy” and no birthday in sight.) Oh, what encouragement, when we read and are reminded that “Faith and Hope”, in God , is all we need. He will never fail us! Thank you, Patti for your blog.
Sara writes that “Faith looks into dark and understanding turns on the light”.
And Faithfulness is that fruit of the Spirit that strengthens us to remain steadfast even though we look into a glass darkly, So we pray the prayer of Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a PURE heart and clean hands and renew a steadfast spirit within me”
In the darkest of times that are spoken about in the Book of Revelation…faith and faithfulness will be what will bring the church through. A modern day prophet of the Lord spoke that the increase in faith for true believers will be increased multi-fold in the end times. What a premium God puts on faith and faithfulness. It will be what He is looking for when He returns to earth. Jesus said, “When I return will I find faith on the earth?” I wonder if His voice sounded a little skeptical at that remark!
Patti, the writer of this blog, lamented to me while grieving over one in prayer for healing that needs a supernatural touch! I felt helpless at moment and she said, “I refuse not to believe for him….It IS possible….and we will not stop praying….Keep… faith strong…” I was shocked into spiritual reality. I needed to join hand to hand, heart to heart to find ways among the believers to increase faith.
When I heard cries in the nations for the lives and safety of believers I had a flash of truth not so much; “your words as your faith to increase to add to theirs.” In Luke 18:8 when Jesus seemed to lament the words, “will I find faith on my return…” He seemed to be saying to me, I’m the Judge and I can and will execute justice quickly to those that have faith. Our part is to have faith and His part to bring the justice.
Thank you, Patti for the clarion call to increase faith!
How touched I feel, Sara..as we hold hands and hearts with faith as high as the mountains, as deep as the oceans, we CAN see the light…which only faith can bring…In times of darkness, tribulations, a loss of hope…who can succeed without faith? No one! The enemy would have us be blind to faith, to feel hopeless, to give up…But as we have the gift of the Holy Spirit, guiding us, helping us, we renew our faith in our Father and know that He is able…..Acts 14:8 “And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. this man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked ” vs 21, 22..And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples…….strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God…
So important are our friends of like faith…Thank YOU, Sara, for encouragement and strength and showing me the light when I can’t see! Thank you for renewal of my faith when darkness blinds my path…….We serve such an Awesome God!! I praise Him today…on this day that He has made! Let us all rejoice!
In reply to Tammy’s comment…very timely… of the moment, truly. “Can you wait for God to act?’ or put more bluntly….’Why can’t you wait for the God of the Universe to act…on your behalf??” I am praying and agitating over a decision…and asking for prayer…for guidance and dancing around and jumping up & down in my soul, anxious to do the right thing and not sure what that is….But, Job! As Patti explained.
And this Scripture has also put a temper on my soul. “Rejoice! Oh! Patti has said that, already. OK.. Paul says REJOICE AGAIN! So I rejoice in the Lord. Be moderate…well-tempered in all I think & do. Without cares and anxiety, let my request be known to God with THANKSGIVING and the God of Peace will overshadow me/you.” Phil. 4:4-7.
Thank You, Lord, for this Blog thedailylily.com….spreading peace and the love of God to a weary universe.
Now we have ego bashing words, “wait-patiently.” I’m already agitated having to wait but a little ego saving grave I can throw a tantrum! That’s cool! Now you tack on and do it patiently! Maybe this is what we might call the “waiting room.”
Yes, Sara’s song “WAITING ROOM” sings of the promise….”as I wait I see His Face shining as the Glory of Grace., as I wait, as I wait in His room. What a reward for waiting.!
Instant gratification is truly a problem that messes up one’s spiritual walk. Okay! No more tantrums but that calm, blessed assurance that what He has promised He will do according to His highest thoughts and plans for me/us. Thanks and praise to the Lord.