Daily Pause

Job 42:1-6

Then Job replied to the Lord:

2 “I know that you can do anything,    and no one can stop you.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
    It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,    things far too wonderful for me.
4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
    I have some questions for you,
    and you must answer them.’
5 I had only heard about you before,
    but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
6 I take back everything I said,
    and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”

Job 38:1-18 and 40:1-5     

Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:

2 “Who is this that questions my wisdom    with such ignorant words?
3 Brace yourself like a man,    because I have some questions for you,
    and you must answer them.
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
    Tell me, if you know so much
5 Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line?
6 What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone
7 as the morning stars sang together and all the angels[a] shouted for joy?
12 “Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east?
13 Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night’s wickedness?
18 Do you realize the extent of the earth?
    Tell me about it if you know!

Then the Lord said to Job,
2 “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty?
    You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?”

3 Then Job replied to the Lord,
4 “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers?
    I will cover my mouth with my hand.
5 I have said too much already.    I have nothing more to say.”

Friday – Psalm 40 selected verses 

 I waited patiently for the Lord;    he turned to me and heard my cry.2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,    out of the mud and mire;he set my feet on a rock    and gave me a firm place to stand.11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;    may your love and faithfulness always protect me.12 For troubles without number surround me;    my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.They are more than the hairs of my head,    and my heart fails within me.13 Be pleased to save me, Lord;    come quickly, Lord, to help me.16 But may all who seek you    rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say,    “The Lord is great!”17 But as for me, I am poor and needy;    may the Lord think of me.  You are my help and my deliverer;    you are my God, do not delay.

Thursday – Romans 8:28-39

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose  31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things…. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord

Wednesday – Psalm 34 Selected Verses

I will extol the Lord at all times;    his praise will always be on my lips.2 I will glory in the Lord;    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.3 Glorify the Lord with me;    let us exalt his name together.4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;    he delivered me from all my fears.6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;   he saved him out of all his troubles.17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;    he delivers them from all their troubles.18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.19 The righteous person may have many troubles,    but the Lord delivers him from them all;

Tuesday – Job 2:3-10

3 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”4 “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life. 5 But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.”6 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.”7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.9 His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish[b] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

Job 1:18-22

18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

Job’s Response to Unspeakable and Instant Loss
20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

7 Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1 Corinthians 1:21-30

Proverbs 16 (selected verses)

2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.

3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

16 How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!

18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.

21 The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction.[b]

24 Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

25 There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.

32 Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.