Job 23:12

Verse 12 is striking and often quoted. But the words translated "my necessary food" are literally "my appointed portion," as the margin shows. The Darby translation renders them "the purpose of my own heart." Read that way, we may well challenge our own hearts: are we ready to set aside our own purposes and submit to the words of God?

Job goes forward, but God is not there; backward, but he cannot see Him. Still, God knows the way that he takes. There, you see, was a heart always turned towards the centre of attraction, always to God. He might waver under the affliction. You know how a compass needle may be very unsteady for a little; but leave it to rest, and it always turns to the pole. "I have not departed from the commandment of his lips." He knew his conscience was clear.

Not finding God, Job turns in self-occupation to himself, and renews his protest of righteousness... It is all true, and yet the clear self-righteousness in it spoils the nobility of the words. We feel the real trial has not yet come. He is defending his own uprightness, not a sense of grace; he thinks it comes from his own heart. He has kept God's commands. He has held fast to the words of His mouth more than to his "necessary food." Job has valued God's will more than his own.

He still had confidence, as verse 10 shows, that God knew all the path of sorrow he was treading. God was testing him in it, and as a result he would come out as gold at the end. That indeed was the end finally reached — but, we suspect, not in the way Job expected. As yet, filled with confidence in his own righteousness, he expected God to approve him. He did come out as gold, but as the fruit of his self-judgment before God. Then God lifted him up and blessed him richly.

How good it is to take the Bible just as God has given it to us. To remember that it is "God-breathed" should make us feel how God Himself is speaking to us in every part of it. No wonder the prophet Jeremiah wrote, "Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts" (Jer. 15:16).

Sheer familiarity with the letter of the word of God brings its own danger: we neglect it. Many can recall a time when the Bible was almost an unknown book to them. Then chosen teachers opened out its truth, and they turned to its pages with ever-increasing eagerness and delight. Other books lost their interest. Worldly subjects no longer held them. The Scriptures became their constant daily companion, and the thoughts of God filled and absorbed the soul. When that was the case, the language of Job no longer seemed extreme.

Have you spiritual meal-times, Christian? Do you make it a rule to read the Word at least once a day? Do not say you have no time. You find, make, or take the time to eat three meals a day of bodily food. But Job says he esteemed the words of His mouth more than his necessary food. He esteemed them more, take note. It does not take so much time after all. Keep your Bible handy, and it is surprising how much you can gather up at odd moments.