Thurs., 3/13/14 Devotion (Job 42:5-6)

Today's encouragement comes from Job 42:5 & 6, where we read these words:

"I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

The church’s ministers preach the word of the gospel; the Holy Spirit applies that word to the hearts of the elect redeemed; but it is only when the believer "sees" Christ, with the eyes of faith, that he or she is thoroughly humbled, and marvels at God's love.

This is the universal testimony of all the Scriptures--(see Isa., ch. 6 as a clas-sic example). Do we need to hear about the Lord Jesus? Yes. But we also need to behold Him with the eyes of faith. In so doing, we will never be the same; and we will forever disdain our formerly-held (but putrid) self-righteous-ness.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Surely, it is better to lack any mercy than a humble heart, it is better to have no mercy than lack a humble heart." --Thomas Brooks, in, "Heaven on Earth"]