Today's Readings and Stuff -- Tuesday, 13 August 2019

We've had a fun day with the great-niece and -nephew from next door.  Their dad did a 12-hour 7p-7a work tour last night and was trying to get a bit of sleep, their mom was working at the auto parts store.  So we had the joy of "watching them.  This week and next are the final days of the school summer vacation.  So the Great-Niece will start 1st grade at that time.  And we'll have the Great-Nephew, well into his "terrible twos" by himself.  I get "volunteered" to assist with "watching" him, because he is so much more active than was his sister.  Wife is getting a close up view of the differences between boys and girls even at a very very young age.  Quite a difference.

Then Wife started having pain in the eye.  She thought it was "pink eye".  Nope.  It's stye.  Hurts, not contagious or anything.  I've had them, used to get them frequently in my youth.  Don't want another, no thank you.

I've been pondering the passages in Job.  Some of us at some point have read the book. The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.  If you haven't done so, I recommend it.  The language is a trifle dated, but it's quite understandable and the theme is timeless.  (by the way, it, like many others, is available, FREE, on-line at several sites.  The location at Christian Classics Ethereal Library is here.  )

The arguments that Job's "friends" are advancing sound a lot like the excuses and such that the characters in Pilgrim's Progress use.  I think of some of those "friends" as sounding like Mr. Worldly-Wise, among others.  Some seem quite logical, from the standpoint they have.  But their standpoint and understanding is incomplete, personally biased, and not along with the Lord's plan or plans.  It still happens

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Job 7

1Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?

2As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:

3So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

4When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

5My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.

6My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.

7O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

8The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.

9As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

10He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

11Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

12Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

13When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;

14Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:

15So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

16I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

17What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?

18And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?

19How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

20I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

21And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

Job 8

1Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

2How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

3Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

4If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

5If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

6If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

7Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

8For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

9(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

10Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

11Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

12Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

13So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:

14Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web.

15He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

16He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

17His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.

18If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

19Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.

20Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:

21Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

22They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.

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Psalm 140

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

1Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;

2Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.

3They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.

4Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.

5The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.

6I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.

7O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

8Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.

9As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

10Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

11Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

12I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.

13Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

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2nd Corinthians 12

1It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

4How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

5Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

6For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

7And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

8For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

11I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

12Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

13For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

14Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

15And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

16But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

17Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?

18I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?

19Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

20For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

21And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.