A young man, Job. Father of many children, ten. Lover of God, holy. A very wealthy man, still tested. All of the money in the world cannot protect you from the snares of the enemy of this world, Satan. Allowed by God, permission.
Job knew that hearts were sinful. He saw a measure of it under his roof. He offered sacrifices for sin in order to contain it. A burnt offering for each child. He cared wildly about his children. That's what we know.
Satan roams this whole planet. Satan moves in on Job to disrupt, disturb, distress, destroy this lover of God. Even this day, Satan sifts and schemes and scours the earth to distress and destroy us. We are within the reach of his arm. Be sober for a roaring lion seeks to devour you. And this Satan shuts down Job causing him to question God. What do we tell ourselves? What is the script that is running in your head? Is it from God or from Satan? Meanwhile, in one second of time, news is broken to Job that one child had been killed. No, two. Three. Four. Five. Who do you turn to when you hear devastating news. Your loved ones. So where's child #5, 6---now they are dead. Child #7, nowhere to be found. Child #8, #9, #10. You have no more children, Job. Not one child could comfort his daddy in his unspeakable loss. And what's the last word in his mind---from Satan! And what is Job's first response: Job humbled himself under the Hand of God. We brought nothing into this world. We carry nothing out of this world. These afflictions quickened his heart and caused Job to turn to God, not away from God. How did we come to the point in life that if bad things happen, then we are not going to believe God is still good or lean on a God Who would do that. Job's mind and heart told him to lean hard. Now, he has to live that out, doesn't he? Don't we---whatever may befall. Is there a limit to what we can take in this world? Or is there a trust in whatever God brings?
PRAYER FROM PSALMS
Surely, God takes note of evil. You say in Psalm 11:5 that you examine the righteous and you hate violence with a passion. Oh God, this is so much to take in, this loss. Even my own at times. Help us to value our lives from what really counts---what we cannot take with us.
OVERVIEW: Job 1-4
PRAYER FROM PSALMS
Surely, God takes note of evil. You say in Psalm 11:5 that you examine the righteous and you hate violence with a passion. Oh God, this is so much to take in, this loss. Even my own at times. Help us to value our lives from what really counts---what we cannot take with us.
OVERVIEW: Job 1-4
The Lord gives and the Lord taketh away. Still, Blessed be the Name of the Lord.
ReplyDeleteYou know, Bev. I've seen it go both ways with people. They either press harder into the Love of God or they reject Him in bitterness. I'm not sure what makes it go one way or the other. The main thing is that Satan is roaming the earth searching for our weakness to try and unpry God's hold on our lives. Faith makes the difference. There's a whole other domain at work out there filled with spiritual warfare, and the powers of darkness appear alive and well in this world. And like Job, may we stand strong knowing that in the end, there will be God alone. And until that time, may He reign in our hearts. No.Matter.What.
Oh for the Day when there will be no more darkness, no more death, no need of another light except Light Himself.