Job 10:13

Yet all this You have stored up in Your heart,

   I know that this is in Your mind,

My first blush on this was that Job was presuming to know what was on God’s mind. But since God is all knowing, it’s not that far of a leap. And therefore, it is even more amazing that God can put the memory of our sin out of His mind so that we might relate to Him. That is a big deal, and we need to recognize how big a deal it is.

“This” was also “things”. “Stored” was also “hid”, “concealed”, and “buried”. I think “these” things would be better than this. I do not like the hid concept here for, as of yet, they are not being concealed, so I went with stored.

The second stitch had a little more variation that just words. One source had “I know how your mind works.” This is just too much for me. The other sources had that Job knew “your purpose”, “your mind”, and “with you”. Some had past tense, and some had present. I felt present tense fit the timelessness of God and that knowing His purpose was a little excessive.

Not to over focus on the point, but in a recent Bible study we looked at Hebrews and found that it says to be saved we must believe two things. We must believe that God exists, and we must believe that He will respond to our faith that He will save us. Our group often discusses the concept of people rejecting that God exists and the counter that no one who observes the natural wonders can deny God. The same human brains that killed people to defend their belief that the earth was flat also claimed to be good strong Christians. I always agree that observation of nature can point to God, but I always know not everyone is capable of seeing and understanding.

One of my good friends was taking about the circumstances around when we first got to know one another. I had to admit that I had no real recollection of these activities. I know I was there, and I know we did stuff together, but I do not have the ability to say “I remember the day we met and …” Not that forgetting such things is good, but it gives us encouragement that we can get beyond the bad parts of our history to focus on the good of the present, and maybe the future. I have three things to go to later today and each is an opportunity to do good. I do not have to remember the time I froze on stage or the time I sweated like a pig in front of a crowd, but I can remember the joy of talking to one person, and then two, and not focusing on how awkward and clumsy I am. Just as God chooses to hid our sin from Himself in order to love us, we can chose to forgive ourselves and love others.

(Written 12/15/22, Posted 1/5/23, Job 221)