“Take My Life In My Own Hands.”

Several weekends back I went through a particularly difficult and troubling time, complete with a trial of my faith. The words of Job 13:15 reverberated through my mind, “Though He slay me,
I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.” I took out my Bible and began reading all of Job 13 to understand better the context in which he would utter such hard words.

A curious phrase caught my attention in Job 13:14, “Why should I take my flesh in my teeth And put my life in my hands?”

As it turns out, this phrase appears in a number of other Old Testament verses. 

• Judges 12:3 – “When I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hands and crossed over against the sons of Ammon, and the LORD gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?” Jephthah fought against Ammon without the help of Ephraim, whom Jephthah requested assist him in this battle. When it was clear Ephraim would not help, Jephthah went on his own.
• 1 Samuel 19:5 – “For he took his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and the LORD brought about a great deliverance for all Israel; you saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death without a cause?” Jonathan here pleads the cause of David before Saul and describes David’s bravery in going up against Goliath without weapons of war.
• 1 Samuel 28:21 – “The woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified, and said to him, ‘Behold, your maidservant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.’” Samuel had just concluded his harsh reprimand of Saul for disobeying the Lord, leaving Saul an emotional wreck. He went without food for a length of time, after which one of his servants came at the risk of her own life to minister to Saul.
• Isaiah 63:5 – “I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold; So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me.” In Isaiah, we have prophecy concerning Christ, and in this verse, the prophecy is concerning what Christ will do.

In each of these verses, we see some common themes: 

• There is none to rescue or come to the aid of the one in the midst of a crisis.
• The one launches headlong into the crisis leaning only of the strength and power of God.
• By the Lord’s power through the surrender of one a mighty victory is brought.

I would also be quick to point out in each instance the one who sacrificed and surrendered his life rose from the ashes a conqueror.

• Job overcame severe trial and difficulty and received many times over the land, property and children taken away from him.
• Jephthah became the stronger tribe and rose in leadership over Israel.
• David not only overcame Goliath, he also became one of the most prominent kings in the Old Testament, on whom was bestowed the covenant establishing the Davidic line as king and from whom Jesus was born as the Messiah.
• Saul’s servant is not mentioned again, however, we know for her boldness in approaching Saul that he complied and was strengthened.
• Christ as we well know suffered on the Christ to overcome death and sin and brought us the new covenant of salvation.

Job had come to a point at which he was prepared to surrender even his own life if it meant remaining true to the Lord. It is this surrender that the Lord honors, rewards and is earnestly seeking from us. It is this total abandon of our own will and our own desires to align our hearts and minds with Christ that He faithfully uses for His glory.

Although this same phrase is not used in their stories, we can add to this list of those who totally abandoned themselves at the risk of death and severe consequences: 

• Abraham
• Moses
• Joshua
• Gideon
• Daniel
• Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
• Paul

How many of us have been faced with a point of decision? I am not talking about persecution or being martyred. I am talking about the crossroads where we wholeheartedly relinquish what matters to us because it would mean denying the presence and power of Christ in our lives.

Let the words of Scripture infiltrate into all of the corners of your heart and challenge you to take your life in your own hands and place it with the One who has the power and the will to turn your life and all the situations you face into something good and meaningful. We certainly have some good role models in Scripture to follow when we are uncertain of our future. Read their stories again and let the Lord use these accounts to encourage you and give you the courage to press forward in Christ.