In one tragic day all Jobs earthly wealth and glory had vanished as a mist before the rising sun. But did Job curse God for all this calamity? Did he even curse the Devil? Was he a fair weather saint without spiritual understanding? No, indeed! He rent his mantle, shaved his head, and falling upon the ground, HE WORSHIPPED GOD with the unmistakable words of reverence, Naked came I out of my mothers womb, and naked shall I return thither: THE LORD GAVE, AND THE LORD HAS TAKEN AWAY; BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD (Job 1:22). You see, beloved, all external evidence shouted aloud that God did not love Job, that God had forsaken him, that God did not see him, that God wasnt concerned about what happened to him, and that God wasnt just. It seemed that God had now revealed Himself to be THE OPPOSITE of all Job had experienced and known of Him. But, praise God! Job KNEW God! He therefore KNEW that in spite of all the external evidence, in spite of how terrible and hopeless things appeared, God had not forsaken him, God did love him, God did see him, God was concerned about what happened to him, and God was just. Ah, this is faith - trusting Gods goodness and faithfulness, knowing that HE has everything in control, that ALL is according to HIS purpose IN SPITE OF ALL EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY! Faith declares with Job, Though God slay me, yet will I trust Him, - and then after being slain - TRUSTS HIM! Job, stripped of all, tried by fire, tested in the furnace of affliction, found that the key to life is not some creed or doctrinal statement of what we believe about God, but that which we KNOW OF HIM out of intimacy of fellowship and vital union with Him. The trial of your faith is much more precious than gold that perishes (I Pet.1:7). Surely this is the lesson learned by Job, and this is the lesson being learned by us as we see our earthly dependencies passing away and withering as grass before our eyes. J. Preston Eby K
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 17:54:04 +0000
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