Job's Reaction

Good day to you all. It seems that I have another thing on my mind that's been a real challenge for me. You do realize that it's hard work to walk after Christ and pattern your life after the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Friends, and may I call you friend, considering that we have been sharing some very personal and vital information to life. Living the life of a follower of Christ is fulfilling and yet rewarding in all ways. I challenge you to take a fresh look at some or all of our heroes in the faith who are much like you and me. I pray that I will be ready when the Father needs me, and that my mind will be right.

Those of you who have shared with me in the past, know that I'm truly impressed with the life of Job. Let's be honest with each other, would God have said, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED MY SERVANT ________? ( I like to put my name into the blank)

Last week the keyword was "blameless". I'm still wondering if this quality fits me and I believe that we all must answer this one for ourselves. What would your reaction be if you worked real hard spiritually to be the person that God wanted you to be? To be wealthy and an upstanding citizen in your community, then calamity hits. Now whats your reaction?

Saints we must understand that God is all wise and all-powerful. His will is perfect, yet He doesn't always act in ways that we understand. Although God is present everywhere at times He may seem far away. This may cause us to feel alone and to doubt his care for us. We should serve God for who He is, not what we feel. He is never insensitive to our suffering. Because God is sufficient, we must hold on to Him. The State that I live in declared me disabled in 1989 and what a blow to my family that was. As a "Born Again Christian", husband, father and provider my family would only trust God. My reaction was to trust God, no if / and / or / but, I was blessed with a wife of twenty years at this juncture in my life who was a Proverbs 31 mate.

Job knew that everything that happened to him was permitted by God for His purposes. When we are out of God's will, Satan doesn't need permission to attack us. But when we are walking in obedience and victory, we know that God has power and is protecting and refining us during the tough times. Satan can't lay a finger on us unless God allows it.

Job didn't blame God for his calamities, and he didn't acknowledge Satan's involvement at all. How many times in your life have you blamed God for your misfortune's? Many people think that believing in God protects them from trouble, so when calamity comes, they question God's goodness and justice. But the message of Job is that you should not give up on God because He allows you to have bad experiences. Faith in God does not guarantee personal prosperity, and lack of faith does not guarantee troubles in this life. If this were so, people would believe in God simply for monetary reasons. Our Father is capable of rescuing us from suffering, but He may also allow suffering to come for reasons we cannot understand. Friends at this time in our Christian walk we should be able to realize that the strategy of Satan is to get us to doubt God at exactly this moment. Here Job shows a perspective broader than seeking his own personal comfort. Consider this if we always knew why we were suffering, our faith would have no room to grow.

Job 2:6 So the Lord said to Satan, " Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life." Again Satan had to seek permission from God to inflict pain upon Job. God limits Satan, and in this case, He did not allow Satan to destroy Job.

Until next week

Jim