Mike Elliott
"The same happens to all who forget God. The hopes of the godless evaporate" (New Living Bible).
"Such are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man shall perish" (RSV Bible).
As I understand this verse and the Book of Job, God is indicating to us that without the building of our life on the foundation of God and true sustaining faith in God, we are without hope. Job was tested to determine if his belief (hope) in God was true and built to withstand any adversity he might face. Job's faith was up to the challenges and God rewarded his faith.
But as verse 8:3 indicate, if we forget God, then we lose all hope. It is difficult for me to envision how any individual could function without hope, for it is hope in God that allows us to persist regardless of the difficulties we face. As our church faces difficulties and a number of our members whose loved ones have serious illnesses or pass on, the hope that comes from God allows us to continue, even though, as Job, we do not understand why. We accept it as God's plan for us. We all know of individuals or stories of individuals who have given up, because they no longer have God in their life and have lost the hope that comes from God. This verse speaks very clearly to me that I must never forget God and must try to follow his path in all I do. If I do not, then I will be without hope and without a reason to continue.
Prayer: Dear God, may we continue to strengthen our belief and understanding of you and that foundation which gives us strength to believe and hope. Amen.
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