27th November 2025

27th November 2025


Pray (ACts) 


Read (Job 27&28) 


Message (Scott Woodburn) 


There is a question that has been asked on long car journeys all across the land - if you had three wishes what would you wish for? Perhaps you’d wish for three more wishes or maybe you’d go for all the money in the world. What probably hasn’t been heard too often in cars is a desire to be righteous or a desire to be wise. Nevertheless, as Job’s friends sat listening, Job reminded them of things that really matter.


He may well have been a broken man but he still wanted to hold on to his integrity and righteousness (27v5-6). As long as breath was in him, he refused to speak falsely or utter deceit (27v4). Not everyone is like Job. The wicked man gives no thought to righteousness or the gaze of the Lord. But Job knew that ultimately the godless individual is without hope (27v8). God opposes him in this life and in eternity and although it seems that the wicked prosper, the truth is that his silver will be like dust (27v16), he will wake in the morning with nothing (27v19) and his family will not weep over his loss (27v15). Righteousness is to be preferred over wickedness.


There is of course another question - would you prefer to be rich or wise? The earth is full of precious things. We desire silver, gold and sapphires (28v1&6) and humanity works hard to bring all of these precious things from the dark to the light (28v11). Indeed, the earth is scarred by our pursuit of valuable items. Shafts are carved in valleys (28v4), mountains are overturned (28v9) and channels are cut in the rocks (28v10) all to satisfy our desire for riches.


But where can wisdom be found (28v12)? It can't be found in the earth or sea (28v14), it can't be bought with gold or silver (28v15) and it is worth far more than all the treasures of the earth (28v17-19). Humanity doesn't understand the worth of wisdom (28v13), the birds of the air can't find it (28v21) and death itself has only heard a whisper of it (28v22). So how can anyone be made wise?


God understands wisdom (28v23) and where it is to be found. He created all things and then He declared what wisdom is, He set it's foundations and He knows every inch of it (28v24-27). So what is wisdom "The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding." (Job 28v28). To fear God is to trust Him, love Him and desire to follow Him. The fear of God doesn't cause you to flee from God as if He is a wicked tyrant, instead the fear of God causes us to seek God's honour in all things. This is true wisdom and it is to be preferred over all the riches of the world.


If you could have three wishes what would you wish for? May the Lord make us as righteous and wise as pardoned sinners can be.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q30 How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ? The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.
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