“God does all these things to a man – twice, even three times – to turn back his soul from the pit, that the light of life may shine on him.”  - Job 33:29-30

God gives everyone a chance to receive salvation. In fact, He gives people many chances. Most people reject the offer, even if the Lord approaches them several times in their lives. (See Job 33:14-16, describing how the Lord often speaks to people through a dream to call them to salvation in Christ Jesus). The Bible says that God wants everyone to come to salvation, and this is the reason He gives each person an opportunity at some point in life. “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).

Even so, most people live their lives separated from God, without the salvation God wants to give them. “We all like sheep have gone astray.” (Isaiah 53:6). The Bible teaches that all of us have sinned (Romans 3:23), and that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

God gives us experiences to draw us to Himself. He does this in love, out of His great mercy. In Job 33 (the text above), a friend of Job named Elihu is speaking. Elihu is apparently the only person in the story of Job who understood God, because he is the only one whom the Lord does not correct at the end of the book. This godly man Elihu lists some of the experiences the Lord gives people:

- Dreams (Job 33:15)
- Revelations (“speaking in your ear”) (v. 16)
- Healing from a serious sickness (vv. 19-25)
- Answers to prayer (v. 26)

Many visitors who come to our services have already had some of these experiences. We receive them even when we do not deserve them. (v. 17).

God gives us these experiences for a greater purpose – to save us from the pit, from eternal death – and to bring us to eternal life. God loves us and wants to bring us close to Himself, even when we have gone astray. “The pit” refers to eternal separation from God.

God wants “the light of life” to shine on you. The light is God’s revelation, which he gives by his Holy Spirit. “The unfolding of your Word gives light, it gives understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:130). Without His revelation, we live in darkness, with nothing to guide us but human opinions.

His Light, his revelation, gives us LIFE. This is life that comes from Eternity.

“In him was life, and that life was the light of men.” (John 1:4).

“For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.” (Psalm 36:9)

God wants to give us light so that we can have eternal life, starting right now. He gives us chances. We need to take the precious opportunity while we have the chance, lest the opportunity pass and we miss our chance to be saved.

“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)

Perhaps we have already had some opportunities, some experiences with the Lord, that we let pass by. Today is the day of salvation; today is the day we should pray, “calling on the Lord while he is near.” As it says in Job 33, when we turn to seek the Lord,

He prays to God and finds favor with him,
he sees God’s face and shouts for joy;
he is restored by God to his righteous state.
-Job 33:26