DEVOTIONAL CORNER

Job understood the principle that is stated so often throughout the scriptures. He had just lost everything, but he still knew that life is more than food and the body more than clothing. (Matthew 6:25b) He recognized the truthfulness of Paul's statement, "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out." (1 Tim. 6:7) So many people react to crisis and tragedy by asking, "Why me?" blaming God for their pain, and even turning away from the Lord.

C.S. Lewis once remarked when asked, "Why should the righteous suffer?" His answer was: "Why not? They're the only ones who can handle it." We also can rejoice when Paul says God will not test us above that we are able to bear.

Yet in the midst of all his suffering Job continued to acknowledge his dependence on God. Later he would say: "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." (Job 13:15) Job had no idea why all this was happening to him, but he continued to trust God. And notice what Job did, or rather did not do: "In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong." (verse 22)

The big question that people have asked through the years is why does God allow bad things to happen? Like Job, we do not always know the answer to that question. We may not always understand why, but there are some things of which the Bible assures us:
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us . . . And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:18, 28)

Thus, we can be assured that God does have a plan whether we recognize it or not. With this attitude, then, we can use the trials of life to draw nearer to God and to let Him use them for our good, "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience" (James. 1:2-4). Suffering can either make us bitter or better; Job's example encourages us to let it make us better.

As the world continues to spiral downwards in these troublesome times we need to pray more than ever before for a fresh breath of God's Spirit to bring new life to the church and to every Christian to fully place our trust in God more than ever.

As we look at this passage we see that Job realized that his life was totally in the hands of God.

Ever since the beginning of human history, much of mankind has believed that they are in the hands of someone or something more powerful than themselves.

People from every walk of life understand that as much as we try, we cannot control many things. Farmers know that no matter how carefully they sow their seed and cultivate their fields that their harvest is totally dependent upon the sun and the rain which they cannot control.

Mothers and wives don't wake up expecting to hear that their spouses have fallen out of love and want to call it quits. Families don't live their daily lives expecting to have someone tell them that their son or daughter has just been killed by a gunman.

The earthquakes, the tsunamis, the storms that send destruction every year, the senseless shooting of innocent children in grade schools, the suicidal bombings and destruction of innocent people are all a sad reminder that we are not in control.

People do not wake up expecting to have earthquakes . . . people do not wake up expecting to have accidents . . . people do not wake up expecting to get sick, or to have a heart attack . . . and no one wakes up expecting to get shot. A few weeks ago, no one attending a concert in Manchester England expected to be blown up or injured by a suicidal bomber. Innocent children and teenagers were attending a concert and having a wonderful time when suddenly a suicidal bomber put a sad ending to the lives of innocent kids.

The patriarch Job understood that his life was totally dependent upon God. Job was a man who revered God, and seemed to have it all together. He had wealth, a good reputation, and many children. Then one day it all went sideways. Four times in this short passage we read that a messenger came to Job bearing really bad news.

Just one of those messages would be enough to ruin our day for a very long time . . . Job had a quadruple whammy in just one day.

His immediate response to his calamity was that he fell down and worshipped God and declared: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

As the story of Job continues - it continues to get even worse! In chapter 2, Satan is allowed to strike Job himself with painful boils, although again the Lord limited the devil and did not allow him to take Job's life. Even Job's wife turned against him, telling him to curse God and die, and his friends who came to comfort him began to accuse him of some terrible evil to deserve what he got. "Miserable comforters are you all!" (Job 16:2) Yet through it all, Job did his best to remain faithful to God and was rewarded in the end. "And the Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before." (Job 40:10)

The book of Job is God's inspired answer to the issue of suffering in life. Again, in this life we may never fully understand all the whys, but there are some conclusions that we can reach based upon what God has revealed in His word. Whatever happens, God is still there, He is still in control, and He always cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7) He may not necessarily remove the difficulties that we face, as was the case of Paul's thorn in the flesh, (2 Corinthians 12:8-10) however, as we stay faithful to place our trust in Him, He will bless us and finally one day when we leave this old world and it's system behind . . . God will glorify us, with the promise that we shall receive the everlasting crown of life. (Revelation 2:10)

Blessings in Christ....Pastor Roman & Pat Kozak