Held in His Sight (Job 29:1–5)

And Job again took up his discourse, and said: “Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me, when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness, as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent, when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were all around me…
– Job 29:1–5

And he keeps going, I could keep going. The whole picture here in Job 29 is Job looking back at better days and longing for those better days, “Months of old,” he says, “When God’s lamp was shining on my head. I was in my prime. The friendship of God, I felt upon my tent, the Almighty with me, my children all around me. Things were so good then.”

Job 29:1–5 pictures God’s faithfulness amid difficulties.

And I think we can all relate to this. There are likely times we look back at in the past that were particularly sweet, or we experience particular favor just blessing from God in a variety of different ways. And particularly when we’re walking through hard days, hard months, hard years, it’s only natural to look back at those times and long for them. And yet, Job’s need here in Job 29 is to realize that yes, yes, the circumstances are very different. His children are not all around him. They’re all gone. His health is gone. His possessions are gone. His life is in shambles. And yet, as he’ll discover in a few chapters, God the Almighty is still with him. The friendship of God is still on his tent and God is still watching over him. And this is the fight of faith in hard days to believe this, to believe and to trust and to rest in the reality that even though everything is falling apart around us, God is watching over us, and his friendship is upon us. We are his friend, and the Almighty is with us.

So God, I pray particularly for those who are walking through hard days and longing for former days, God, I pray that in these moments they would even right now in your word hear you saying to them, yes, these circumstances are hard, even terrible beyond what they could have ever fathomed, certainly as Job was experiencing that here in this chapter. But oh God, may each person in that circumstance hear you saying in your word right now, that you are watching over them and that your friendship is upon them and that you, the Almighty, are yet with them. And God, I just pray that based upon these words, you would hold on to them and help them to hold on to faith in you, to hope in you, to all that they know is true from your Word.

Job 29:1–5 challenges us to trust God’s care when we face challenges.

And God, we pray for all of us that you would help us to hide these truths deep in our hearts for days when we long for former days, when we’re walking through trials to remember this, that yes, you were with us in the good days. And God, we praise you that you are with us in the bad days, in the hard days, and not just with us, but that you are watching over us and providing us, and committed to providing us with everything we need. We praise you for that reality, that you will never, ever, ever leave us or forsake us. And you will always, always, always grant us everything we need, give to us generously, the peace, the comfort, the strength, the hope, the help we need. And you promise you will bring us through as we keep our eyes on you. As we hold fast to you, you are holding fast to us. I praise you for that reality. And just pray that reality, particularly over those who are walking through hard days.

And God, we pray for this hope, this joy, this peace, this confidence, eternal life that transcends the trials of this world to spread through us. God, we think about so many people around us who don’t have that hope because they don’t have you, Jesus, the one who’s conquered sin and death and the grave and has guaranteed an end to all sin and suffering for all who trust in you. Help us, God, to share this good news with people around us today in a world that needs the hope that only you can give.

Prayer for the Shawiya Berber People

And God, we pray that you help us to spread this good news around the world. We pray for the Shawiya Berber people of France, of Morocco, of Algeria. God, we pray that this people, group over two and a half million people walking through all kinds of trials in this world, that the Shawiya Berber people would be reached with the good news of hope and joy and life in Jesus. God, help us as your church to spread this good news to all the peoples of the world. We pray all this according to your Word in Job 29. In Jesus’ name, amen.