September 16
More Rebellious than the Sea
Am I the sea, or a sea monster, that you set a guard over me? - Job 7:12
This was a strange question for Job to ask the Lord. He felt himself to be too insignificant to be so strictly watched and chastened, and he hoped that he was not so unruly as to need to be restrained. The inquiry was natural from one surrounded by such miseries, but after all, it is capable of a very humbling answer.
It is true that man is not the sea, but he is even more troublesome and unruly. The sea obediently respects its boundary, and it does not overleap the limit, even though it is just a belt of sand. Mighty as it is, it hears the divine "thus far," and when raging with tempest it still respects the word. Self-willed man, however, defies heaven and oppresses earth, and there is no end to his rebellious rage. The sea, obedient to the moon, ebbs and flows with ceaseless regularity and so renders an active as well as a passive obedience; but man, restless beyond his sphere, sleeps within the lines of duty, lazy where he should be active. He neither comes nor goes at the divine command but sullenly prefers to do what he should not and to leave undone what is required of him. Every drop in the ocean, every beaded bubble, and every yeasty foam-flake, every shell and pebble, feel the power of law and yield or move at once.
If only our nature were but one thousandth as much conformed to the will of God! We call the sea fickle and false, but how constant it is! Since our fathers' days, and even before, the sea is where it was, beating on the same cliffs to the same tune. We know where to find it; it never hides, and its ceaseless pounding never fades; but where is man, fickle man? Can the wise man guess by what folly he will next be seduced from his obedience? We need more watching than the billowy sea and are far more rebellious. Lord, rule us for Your own glory. Amen.
Family Bible reading plan
verse 1 Ezekiel 19
verse 2 Psalms 64, 65
Lessons For Life: The Collection
Young men and women entering college or taking their first steps out into the world will quickly find their faith put to the test. Contemporary influences encourage us to “live for the moment” and to “seize the day” without regard for eternal consequences. The pressure imposed by society to thrive in a competitive world can breed broken friendships, heighten disappointments, and lure young adults away from their devotion to Christ. In Lessons For Life: The Collection, Alistair Begg challenges us to pursue a different road, casting a vision for a life well used for God and His glory. Along this path of wholehearted commitment to Christ and His kingdom, lives are transformed. Our work takes on new meaning. Our relationships are enriched by humility and grace. Our hearts are strengthened to endure hardship and persevere in the faith as we trust in the providential care of the One who has made us for His pleasure.
Click here to learn more about Truth For Life
From Morning & Evening revised and edited by Alistair Begg copyright © 2003. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org.
