Job 21:7

Why do the wicked live on,

   Reach old age, grow hale and hearty?

One theme seems to be riding through all I do right now. In a book, in a movie, in my Bible study, in my life. This theme is simple ‘on the face of it’ as they say. It is also super hard due to the issue brought up in this verse.

‘Live on’ was also ‘live and become old’.

‘Hale and hearty’ was also ‘nighty in power’, ‘increasing in power’, ‘prosper and grow wealthy’, and ‘win prosperity’.

Some of the weird thoughts have been running across wicked people who served their time and are out of jail. My sin nature wails: ‘Why do I have to love old people?’, ‘Why do I have to love mean people?’, and ‘Why do I have to love my enemy?’. There is actually a country song with the refrain ‘Hard to Love.’ God has called me to love people I do not want to. I run up against it every day. I do not want to, but it was never about me.

A movie I saw had a character who wanted to be good, right up until it cost him something. He would do great, right up until it impacted his choices. It was a heart-warming tale as it ended with him learning to sacrifice for others. Miraculously he got everything he wanted and more than he could have imagined. Kind of like Job. Kind of like everyone who believes in Christ.

My book is about laying up treasures in heaven, and my Bible study was about the cost Christ paid for us to be able to do so. The key is that our lives on earth are not as important as believing in Christ so that we live eternally. The book paints a very positive future, but any reality of heaven is better than the alternative. Considering the cost Christ paid for our salvation, the daily trials of dealing with hardship and enemies is unimportant. Spending time with Him here and now is a great reward, but spending eternity in heaven is worth everything this world could put us through.

Written 4/22/26, Posted 5/54, Job 493/~1070