Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Exam (09/12/13)
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TITLE: Marks of His Favor | Previous Challenge Entry
By Karen Pourbabaee
09/19/13 -
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“What is man that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him. Visit him every morning and test him every moment.” Job 7:17-18 ESV
God has His heart set on us, loving us with an everlasting love. He fusses over us like a proud papa. Kind of hard to imagine that, but His Word in Job assures us of His love, and His devotion is displayed in daily visits. The NAS translation elaborates that He examines us every morning. And prepares our tests like a dedicated teacher. Are we prepared for His morning visits? Are we ready for His exams? They’re not all mid-term exams or of ACT magnitude. Look for the little quizzes of life. They will come without fail. They will test our faith. We must learn to recognize their arrival and know that His hand has prepared the exam. Are we better than Job that our Father should spare us His tests? Look at His own Son’s testings. God tests those He loves. It is a mark of His favor.
Why does God test? What is His purpose? A test is defined as “something done to discover a person or thing’s qualities or abilities.” God already knows the answers to our tests. He created each of us with magnificent potential …with personally designed qualities and abilities. Could it be that the answers are for our own discovery?! To learn what we are really made of? To know who we were created to be? Yes, that is one purpose of God’s tests.
The verb test means to refine. The Lord’s exams refine us. As we are tested He strengthens us. We become painfully aware of our weaknesses yet experience His strength. We labor through our examinations and are forced to confront our fears, doubts, and despair… but the living Word will dispel them all! Our faith increases. Then He adorns us with the beauty of holiness, refined by His fire. Our Father’s goal all along was to establish our value, another important purpose in His testings.
God tries us, proves us, and at last establishes us as valuable in His kingdom. Like a proud papa. There is a wise and loving plan in our trials.
Dear Father,
Who am I that You have set Your heart on me? Nevertheless, I will wait each morning for Your visit. Help me to become aware of the little quizzes of life and to be faithful in the small things. Come to my aid, Lord, and strengthen my faith amidst the grand exams You have prepared. Search with me, O God, until I find the treasures You placed in me long ago. Try me, prove me, and establish me as valuable for Thy kingdom. Amen.
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