Category: The book of Job

Bible Verse · The book of Job

Blessed be the Lord

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Have you ever read a book and it has such a slow start you think of just stopping? The book of Job is not that. It jumps right into the “deep end” with exactly what happened.

We get a quick background on this man… he was blameless, upright, fears God and turns from evil. He was wealthy, had a wife, and many children. All is going well, extremely well, for Job. And then we get a little peek into a meeting with the “sons of God” (angels), God, and Satan.

Satan believes that he has the power to turn a faithful person away from God and wants to prove it. How does God respond? He gives him permission and tells him about his faithful servant! He first gives Satan permission to do anything but harm Job’s body {1:12} and then, when that doesn’t work, God gives him permission to do something to Job as long as he spares his life {2:6}

Shocking to our human hearts who only want to think of God as loving and protective. This suffering Job experiences is not a punishment for anything Job has done. There is no unforgiven sin in his life. And yet God gives his permission (because God is in control of even what Satan can do) and also defines what Satan’s perimeters are.

In verse 1:21 Job says “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” and then in 2:10, after being inflected with sores that make him unrecognizable to his friends, he still says “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?”

Having been through some trials in my life, I did not always first say blessed be the Lord. I eventually turn there, but Job seems to be quickly at that point.

What Christopher Ash says in his book “Trusting God in the Darkness” for this section is worth noting and remembering as we read forward and, more importantly as we walk with God.

First we must know that Job is blameless.

Second we need to know that Satan has real influence in our lives. That brings me to my knees to ask God to help me reject that influence.

Third we need to remember that God is absolutely supreme. Satan only has power that God gives him and even when I’m in a trial, I must have confidence that God is right there and he will prevail.

Finally, God can give sobering permissions to Satan. I am left to wonder if I could stand this test that God allowed in Job’s life? While we walk through chapter after chapter of Job crying out to God, the story ends with Job acknowledging the greatness and power of God.

Bible Verse · Parenting · The book of Job

Job… the beginning

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Job has long been my favorite book of the Bible. I have read it many times and have taken notes through each reading. For Christmas, my daughter purchased a study by Christoper Ash called “Trusting God in the Darkness” for me to use to get someone else’s perspective on Job. So far it has been a great study.

Somewhat unrelated to the study, but found because I’m reading through the book carefully, I came across a verse that made me take note.

Job 1:5 says:

…. Job would send and consecrate them {his children}, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

As a parent I was struck by his actions. Daily he rose and made offerings for his children to cover any sin that they might do. Ouch is what I say to myself.

Do I pray for my children each day bringing them before God? Asking his protection over them… asking Him to guide them to the right choices… to remind them to put on the armor of God? For me, compared to Job, it would be so easy to do this daily act. I do not have to do burnt offerings anymore. I can just take some quiet time and lift each of our children before him.

It seems so easy, but I get so busy. Sure, there are days I do pray for each of them. There are times in our relationship that I pray HARD for them. But daily, to raise and first thing bring my children before him.

Today, I commit to bringing my children before the throne room. I may not know what their day brings, what their needs are, but neither did Job. He continued to do this for them just in case they needed to be forgiven. I can have confidence knowing that God already knows what the day will bring for them and doing my part to lift their names in prayer will keep me focused on knowing they are under his protection.