You will be restored If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines, then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you. Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God. You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways. When men are brought low and you say, `Lift them up!' then he will save the downcast. He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands. (Job 22: 23 -30) This is a conditional promise for a backslider though wrongly addressed to Job by his friend who misinterpreted his sufferings. There are some things that some believers want to keep and cannot give to the Lord. These may or may not be material things. Reluctance to give away these selfish things, they often suffer needless agonies. In short they cannot deny themselves. Jesus said, "If any man decides to follow me, Let him deny himself, pick up the cross and follow me." This inability to deny one results in lack of peace in the lives of many Christians. Many Christians then backslide. This verse exhorts believers to make the Almighty their gold and silver and see a marked change in their lives. With unwanted distractions gone, one can concentrate on God, pray to him and have the confidence that God has heard their prayer. With faith you can undertake Holy Spirit led endeavors and see them fulfilled. God himself will see to it that darkness departs from you and light shines on your ways. Not only that; your prayers for others will be effective. God will deliver others who are not yet right with Him because of your right life with God. So will you make the Lord your gold and silver if you have not yet done so? If you already have done so, maintain your relationship with the Lord carefully for it is a very precious treasure. |