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Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Studyheadquarters dot com.
Speaker 1: You're listening to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. I'm
Speaker 1: John Stangey, and today we're in Job chapter seven, and
Speaker 1: we'll be reading from the New Living Translation. Is not
Speaker 1: all human life a struggle. Our lives are like that
Speaker 1: of a hired hand, like a worker who longs for
Speaker 1: the shade, like a servant waiting to be paid. I
Speaker 1: too have been assigned months of futility, long and weary
Speaker 1: nights of misery. Lying in bed, I think, when will
Speaker 1: it be morning? But the night drags on and I
Speaker 1: toss till dawn. My body is covered with maggots and scabs.
Speaker 1: My skin breaks open, oozing with puss. My days fly
Speaker 1: faster than a weavers shuttle. They end without hope. Oh God,
Speaker 1: remember that my life is but a breath, and I
Speaker 1: will never again feel happiness. You see me now, but
Speaker 1: not for long. You will look for me, but I
Speaker 1: will be gone. Just as a cloud dissipates and vanishes,
Speaker 1: Those who die will not come back. They are gone
Speaker 1: forever from their home, never to be seen again. I
Speaker 1: cannot keep from speaking. I must express my anguish. My
Speaker 1: bitter soul must complain. Am I a sea monster or
Speaker 1: a dragon that you must place me under guard? I
Speaker 1: think my bed will comfort me and sleep will ease
Speaker 1: my misery, But then you shatter me with dreams and
Speaker 1: terrify me with visions. I would rather be strangled rather
Speaker 1: die than suffer like this. I hate my life and
Speaker 1: don't want to go on living. Oh, leave me alone
Speaker 1: for my few remaining days. What are people that you
Speaker 1: should make so much of us, that you should think
Speaker 1: of us so often? For you examine us every morning
Speaker 1: and test us every moment. Why won't you leave me
Speaker 1: alone at least long enough for me to swallow? If
Speaker 1: I have sinned? What have I done to you? A
Speaker 1: watcher of all humanity? Why make me your target? Am
Speaker 1: I a burden to you? Why not just forgive my
Speaker 1: sin and take away my guilt? For soon I will
Speaker 1: lie down in the dust and die. When you look
Speaker 1: for me, I will be gone. Let's pray. Lord, We
Speaker 1: thank you for your word, and we thank you for
Speaker 1: the privilege of being able to look at this portion
Speaker 1: of scripture today. And Lord, we're in the midst of
Speaker 1: looking at portions of scripture where Job describes his great
Speaker 1: anguish in the midst of his trial. And we're grateful
Speaker 1: Lord that when we look at a portion of scripture
Speaker 1: like this, we're shown that we can be honest with
Speaker 1: you when we pray, that we don't have to come
Speaker 1: before you with a set list of words to say,
Speaker 1: but that we could genuinely and sincerely pour out our
Speaker 1: hearts before your throne. And you hear us, and you understand.
Speaker 1: You tell us in your word that you, Jesus Christ,
Speaker 1: are our merciful and faithful High Priest, and you're able
Speaker 1: to sympathize with us in the midst of our human weaknesses.
Speaker 1: So thank you, Lord for your love, thank you for
Speaker 1: your sympathy, thank you for your graciousness, thank you for
Speaker 1: your presence, And thank you Lord that when we're in
Speaker 1: the midst of dark and heavy seasons, that we could
Speaker 1: lift up our hearts before you, knowing that you hear
Speaker 1: us waiting for you to give us answers. And our
Speaker 1: prayers can be messy, our prayers can be heartfelt, Our
Speaker 1: prayers can be filled with all sorts of admissions of
Speaker 1: our struggle. And you hear us, and you don't chase
Speaker 1: us away for pouring out our hearts before you, like
Speaker 1: we see job doing in this portion of Scripture. So Lord,
Speaker 1: thank you for all of these things. Commit this day
Speaker 1: to your care, and thank you for your presence with
Speaker 1: us in it. We pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen,