Job 23:10 “But He knows the way that I take;
when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

Job’s confidence was actually a special case, because, as David and Paul point out, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” (Psalm 14:3, Romans 3:10) However, Job was enduring what he was as a special lesson for all who would follow, that there is not a one-to-one relationship between our trials and things we have done. However, Job has one thing spot-on in his statement here that applies to everyone, and that is that God knows the ways we take. It is amusing, as well as sad, to see so many people trying to hide things from God. People rightly get upset at the government spying on them, but they forget that “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight,” (Hebrews 4:13) and He even pays attention to how many hairs we have on our heads! (Matthew 10:30) However, even Adam and Eve tried to hide from God once they realized they had sinned. (Genesis 3:8) We are so foolish! However, God loves us anyway, and that is what is so marvelous. God knew our weakness – after all, He created us – and He provided righteousness for us in Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:30) When we abide in Christ, then we indeed come through all our trials as pure gold, with all the impurities burned out. That’s something to which we can really look forward.

I couldn’t begin to catalog all my past sins, but not one of them escaped God’s notice at the time. However, God has covered them over and washed them away with the blood of His Son, and that is certainly reason to rejoice. Nonetheless, I am not to be satisfied with my own salvation and fail to seek to lead others into that same relationship with their Creator. It is my personal conviction that anyone who is not concerned for the salvation of others has no real grasp of from what they have been saved, and they may not even be saved. It is at the very least true that anyone who is not concerned for the salvation of others has no real grasp of the heart of God. That said, we must also realize that we cannot save anyone ourselves, we can only be available to God for Him to do the saving through us. However, we should actively seek opportunities to be so used, and make the most of them. (Ephesians 5:16) For someone who understands their own salvation, there is no greater joy than leading someone else into that same salvation. As a pastor, I am to be encouraging and training the believers to recognize the opportunities they are given and make the most of them, so that we may rejoice together as more and more are added to God’s family.

Father, thank You for the assurance You have given me, and for the incredible privilege of passing that assurance on to others. Help me do so more and more effectively, through a growing army of Your disciples, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!