Day 4: Job 1-5

Exit Gensis and skip on over to Job - this reading schedule is developed to chronologically take you through scripture. Historians believe that the events in Job fit into the history at this point - and that's why you may be feeling like you've been asked to take a side road, but you are right on track!

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%201-5&version=NIV

If you’ve had a bad day, I can guarantee it was nothing like what happens to Job in chapter one. Here’s why I think God included the book of Job in the Bible – because no matter how bad you circumstances look, you can always read Job and know that things could be worse!

But what is amazing about Job is that despite his circumstances, he remained faithful. That is not to say that he doesn’t struggle. As a counselor, I probably would have diagnosed him with circumstance and grief induced depression – and who could blame him. Job certainly questioned God and I’m sure his faith at times was weak – but he is the picture of perseverance. See, to persevere does not mean not to struggle or suffer. To persevere means that as your struggle and you suffer, your faith remains intact and comes out stronger. Listen to what God says about it in 1 Peter 5:10 – “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

And so as we look at the list of questions to keep in mind as you read, today I’d like to share with you my answers for whether there is an example to follow.

Job’s response to hardship is an example to follow. He looses his 500 yoke of oxen, 500 donkeys, 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, his servants, and all ten of his children. One of those losses would be painful – all of them practically unbearable – and all in one day. But listen to the response of Job. He says:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” – Job 1:21

Despite his pain and loss, Job knew God to be the source and rightful owner of everything he had. If it was the Lord’s to give, then certainly it was the Lord’s to take away. And then his health is destroyed, and still he does not turn from God.

Now keep in mind – the Lord himself did not do these things, but he gave Satan permission. That’s a little tough to grasp sometimes. How can a loving God, a God who promises a shield around his righteous ones (Proverbs 2:7-8), remove that shield and allow Satan to attack the life of those he claims to love?

I believe the answer is that he is all-knowing and so he knows – he knows exactly what we can and cannot handle. He knows what the end results are and that they will be good. When we are facing trials, we must rest there. We must rest on the covenant promise in Jeremiah 32:40 – that He will never stop doing good for us. We must rest on His word in Romans 8:28 – that all things work for our good. God is sovereign, he is confident of the end results because he knows and will go test us beyond what we can handle (1 Cor. 10:13). It is with this confidence that God gives Satan permission to attack Job’s livelihood, his family and his health. It is with this confidence that Satan will see a display of a faith so strong that the glory of God is brilliantly reflected through Job.

Watch and learn as you read the story of Job, as you see him struggle, as he perseveres. Watch and ask God how you can have a faith like that.

Friends, the book of Job is rich. It gives us valuable information about our enemy, his tactics, and God’s dominion over him. I pray that you will read and ask questions about his and develop knowledge of the enemy you face every day.

The book of Job is rich in do’s and don’ts for dealing with friends who are suffering and experiencing grief. Watch Jobs friends – they start of well as they just sit with him. But then the open their mouths and I’m thinking they didn’t seek God’s wisdom in the words they spoke. Learn from them.

Ask the questions, search for answers, asks God to reveal truths to you. Share with us what you’ve learned.

Is there a:
Promise for me to claim?
A sin for me to avoid?
A command to obey?
An example to follow?
A teaching to believe?

Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels