Job 28 - Psalm 6: You chew on Scripture day & night

When God finally answers Job, his words are stunning--strong, powerful, beautiful. The imagery of the horse, the leviathan (a huge sea creature that belches fire), the stockpiles of hail and snow, the boundaries set for the seas, the herds of stars--wow, just wow. Stunning.
- Shut up and listen:  Job responded in two ways, first by deciding to shut up and listen (Job 40:3-5), and next by acknowledging God's sovereignty and his own weakness and limitations (Job 42:1-6). I have a lot to learn from Job about listening to God. I do think God honored Job's honesty and his questions by giving Job an audience and by responding personally.
- Job taking a stand:  When God restored Job's health, family, and possessions (two-fold), I noticed that the passage notes that Job treated his daughters (named Dove, Cinnamon, and Darkeyes) the same as his sons and gave them the same inheritance (Job 42:12-15). In a time where women were treated as property, this godly man took a stand and showed that men and women are equally valuable in God's eyes. Love this.
On to the Psalms!
- Love songs:  Like a fresh breeze come the Psalms. After eons of battles, sin, evil, and judgment come love songs and poetry written to God. Last night Jim Sweetman mentioned that the book of Psalms encompasses over 1000 years. Here are a couple of passages from the Psalms that stood out to me today:

• "You thrill to God's Word, you chew on Scripture day and night. You're a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, never dropping a leaf, always in blossom" (Psalm 1:2-3).
• "But you, God, shield me on all sides; You ground my feet, You lift my head high" (Psalm 3:3-4).

Elena's verse of the day:  "I heard about your from others; now I have seen you with my own eyes" (Job 42:5).

2 Kings 4 - 15: Fresh baked bread!

- Multiplicity:  Precursors to Jesus' loaves and fishes miracle include Elijah's miracle providing oil and flour to the widow; Elisha providing the poor woman with oil to sell; and, Elisha providing fresh-baked harvest bread and apples to 100 men (2 Kings 4:42-44).

- Open his eyes:  Elisha's servant was afraid of losing a battle to the ferocious Arameans, so Elisha prayed, "God, open his eyes and let him see" (2 Kings 6:17). All at once, the servant saw horses and chariots of fire surrounding them. Apparently they were angelic beings, part of an army sent by God. What a wonderful thing to know that the God who created the universe is the same God who fights our battles. Next time you feel attacked, think about those horses and chariots of fire.
- A good egg:  So many evil kings. But one, Jehu, loved God enough to clean house and exterminate evil Ahab's line, including his wicked wife Jezebel, their sons, and the Baal priests (2 Kings 10).

Elena's verse of the day:  "The Lord was kind to the Israelites and showed them mercy because of his solemn agreement with their ancestors" (2 Kings 13:23).