February 13, 2024

By Machelle McDowell

“When you are at the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.”~(Franklin Roosevelt). This is where we find our friend, Job in this week’s Bible reading. He is hanging on by a thread!

We are unsure as to how long Job endured his time of suffering but at this point his rope is running out.

In chapter 31 Job reflects on his entire life in search for answers to his misery! Maybe he missed something? Maybe he has some sin that he forgot about and never repented of. He questions why God is being relentless? Job is making an appeal to God in this chapter. He is pleading for God to show him why he is under heavy enemy artillery.

Job goes through a lengthy list of possible culprits that may have slipped by his conscious. Something that may question his integrity. He begins in verse one, “Did I sin with my eyes?” He is addressing the issue of lust. Lord, show me, if I am guilty I will be able to endure this punishment.

He checks off a list: Did I minister to the poor, the fatherless, the widow? Did I provide clothing for the needy? Did I demonstrate greed? Did I worship the sun? Was my heart secretly enticed and I failed to recognize it?

In verse 32, he cries out, “If you have any words, answer me; speak for I desire to justify you.”

Job is saying he just needs to know what he has done to deserve this treatment…he requests God to give hime a reasonable answer.” Job is adamant that his integrity is in check, (I feel, he crosses the line, here).

We never have a right to demand answers from God using such arrogance and later in the book Job repents for his outbursts. At the same time I have to weigh in on the side of empathy for this man!

His rope is certainly getting shorter and shorter and he is feeling a sense of hopelessness in that he has nothing to hold on to but his innocence in all of this and his belief that God is still in control.

There are times in our own lives when we are at the end of our rope! We tend to forget that we do not see the things that happen in the spiritual realm. We react to what is evident.

This is where Job finds himself in chapter 31. He cannot see what God is doing on his behalf at the end of the rope.

The truth is… the shorter the rope the closer He comes to seeing God in all of this! How ironic! He just needs to hang on a little longer!

We are all guilty of falling short of a blessing right before it comes! We often let go of the rope too quickly. A lot of the time a breakthrough is within reach but our flesh is weak and we cannot see the heavenly realm of things.

Psalm 30:5- “Weeping endures for the night, but Joy comes in the morning.” We get satisfied with small stuff and don’t hold out for the big!

Job is done listening to the abusive remarks of his friends! God wants Job to hold on to the rope to the very end! But he is beginning to slip into his own vanity.

When Job’s hands begin to slip, God uses Elihu to tie a knot so Job’s grasp would be secure to the end… He sends Elihu in as a breath of fresh air and a voice to reckon with.

Elihu rebukes Job’s (3) friends for their behavior towards Job. He also gently reminds Job that God is greater than man.

It appears that Job was so righteous that it led him to be self-righteous, does that make sense? God allowed Elihu to give Job proper perspective.

Job had become so self absorbed in justifying himself he could not see the underlying rebellion he was showing God. Elihu called him out and basically accuses him of his own vanity being his problem.

The next few chapters Elihu unveils God’s greatness and His majesty that raises the curtain for the grand finale! The Lord answers Job!

Chapter 42 is one in which God flexes his muscles! Job confesses and repents. The Lord rebukes Job’s friends. God restores Job’s fortune twice as much as he had before.

And, the icing on the cake the Lord blesses the latter days of Job more that his beginning. He blesses him with seven sons and three daughters!

Job passes the test! He never let go of the rope, even when he could barely hold on. He came close to letting go but held out for the blessing of a lifetime!

“When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.”

Franklin Roosevelt