July 31 – Punishment or Love? (Job 37)

“He brings the clouds to punish men, or to water His earth and show His love.”(Job 37:13)

IN WORD:
Elihu’s observation in Job 37:13 is perceptive. The clouds God brings into our lives could be judgment. They could also be mercy. Either way, our focus during trials needs to be less about God’s intent than our response.
Often, God’s actions have diverse effects on people. His presence can be soothing for one and extremely uncomfortable for another, depending on the prior relationship. His blessings can prompt the gratitude of one or cultivate the corruption of another. Again, it all depends on the prior relationship we have with our Creator. So it is with our trials. In some people, trials illustrate that their worship is genuine and draw them deeper into God. In others, trials drive them away. They will have nothing to do with a God who lets them suffer.
In adversity, that middle ground of indifference is taken away. When World War II ended, some people walked away from concentration camps with deeper faith, and some walked away with none.. What was the difference? Their prior relationship with God probably had something to do with it. The adversity only highlighted the difference between the genuine and the false. It removed the illusion of lukewarm faith, driving people either to hot or cold extremes.

IN DEED:
God will bring clouds into your life. Perhaps they are hovering now. Will they be your punishment? Or will they refresh you and show you His love? The answer may be less a matter of His intent than of your response. It all depends on how you choose to see them.
Let the clouds of adversity drive you into God’s presence. Let them stir a passion in your heart to know Him more deeply and to worship Him more authentically. Do not flee from them. Let them linger long enough to see His mercy fall from heaven in the end.

“God tries our faith so that we may try His faithfulness.”
-Anonymous-