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No Fear in His Presence

Job 13:20-21

Only grant these two things to me, God, so that I will not have to hide from Your presence: remove Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.

In the midst of Job’s difficulty, he knew he needed the presence of God. Somehow, this was his survival. In God’s presence, Job had a friend he could trust. God, alone, could answer his questions, and he needed that close communication.

Job simply asked for God to remove His hand from him. Here, Job is referring to God’s hand of wrath. God, however, was not subjecting Job to His wrath. He was testing him so that what He placed in Job would come forth. God used Job to prove a point to the Devil by allowing the Devil to attack him. God would openly reward Job for the damage the Devil brought. To Job, however, it felt as if God were punishing him.

We must never confuse the Devil’s attacks for God’s punishment. Should we stray, God lovingly draws us back to Him through conviction by the work of the Holy Spirit. He never condemns us or corrects without cause. The Devil’s intent is to attack you undeservingly and to make you think it is God. He seeks to turn your loyalty away from God so you will lose faith and prove to be lacking in substance. He will always seek to tear down what God has built and equipped, but God will continue to reveal His glory through us.

Job also asked God not to let His terror frighten him. Job did not want to live in fear of God’s presence; he realized his need to be close to God during tribulation. We do not have to live in fear of God’s wrath when bad things happen. He has not made us for wrath, and He longs for us to draw close to Him. God will always draw us to Himself, rather than push us away. He welcomes us into His presence, where we find healing, comfort, and the strength to continue one more day.

Stop wondering why God is punishing you. He is not. If you are a Christian, God has already placed your punishment upon Christ. God is drawing you to Himself so you might encounter the power of His presence. Stop blaming God for your difficulty, and begin to praise Him for His promises. If He has allowed the Devil to attack, you can be assured He will reward you openly by revealing His glory in you. You are a child of the King of Kings, and He loves you with an unfailing love. Come before His throne of grace with full confidence, and bask in His presence. Everything you need awaits you there.

Have a blessed day!

PHOEBE Connections, Inc. is a 501(c)3 dedicated to enhancing the lives of widows by building relationships and helping them find new identity in Jesus Christ through serving others. We promote an atmosphere of fellowship, where the widow can connect with other widows to develop friendships and supportive relationships.