The Rod of God

UV 3676/10000 The Rod of God Their houses are safe from fear; and the rod of God is not on them. Job 21 v 9 Job is bemoaning in this uni-verse that the wicked seem to keep prospering. They become mighty in the land. They live long and their children are established before their eyes while they are yet alive. Finally, he says that the rod of discipline of God is not applied on them. They go through life without correction or chastening by God. The implication is that the rod of God disciplines the godly, those who trust God and follow Him. The rod is often swift and severe to correct the righteous. Even the Psalm of the Shepherd, Psalm 23 speaks of the shepherd’s rod and staff. The rod is meant to discipline the sheep when they go astray. Yet the Psalmist says it is meant to comfort the sheep. Job felt the rod heavy on his back but it was not to correct him but to test his faithfulness. Would he reject God, turn away from Him for withdrawing his many blessings and heaping trouble, pain, suffering on him? Job does not deny God or turn away from Him. He instead questions the justice of God. God allows him to do so and goes on to answer his many furious doubts and anguished queries. Job was eventually blessed twice as much as he was blessed before trials overtook him. The rod of God falls on us not just to discipline us but to test us. We need to be patient at these times. As Job said to God, “Though you slay me, yet shall I adore You.” We do not worship and love God so that He gives us blessings but we value our relationship far above the benefits we have on account of our faith and relationship with the Lord. We need to trust the wisdom of God and believe in His love and care of us. Even when the rod of God falls on us, we need to rejoice for Paul, the apostle who underwent many kinds of trials including torture, imprisonment, stoning, shipwreck and so on, exhorts us to be joyful in all circumstances. God is our anchor of equilibrium in all situations of life. We need to welcome His rod at least as much as we rejoice in His hand of blessing on our lives.