Job 1 & 2

Yesterday I started the Bible reading program Ownit365. By following this plan, which consists of reading a selection of scripture from the Old Testament (O) and a selection from either a Wisdom book (W) or the New Testament (N), you will read the entire bible in one year. Hopefully, once I catch up to where I need to be with the readings, I will actually stick with it. We’ll see!

One of the readings yesterday was from Job. Job was a good man who “feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1). He was given many things such as “seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven thousand sheep, three hundred camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East” (Job 1:2). After God had a conversation with Satan, which I found unique and interesting in itself, it was decided that God would allow certain negative events to occur in Job’s life, but told Satan that Job’s life should not be touched. During the first time this happened, people from Southwest Arabia took his oxen and donkeys, fire came and burned up his sheep and servants, the Chaldeans stole his camels and killed more servants, a strong wind struck the house his sons and daughters were in and it collapsed, killing them all. Job “fell to the ground in worship” and said “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away’ may the name of the Lord be praised”.

After a second conversation between Satan and God it was decided that Satan would now attack his body in hopes that he would curse God through his pain, even though his first attempts at this failed. He “afflicted job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head” (Job 2:7).

His wife said, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” and Job responded by saying, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:9-10).

This reaction was humbling for me. Would I respond in this way? I would like to think so, but if I’m completely honest this would not be my first reaction. How easily we take things for granted and forget all that we have. The moment tragedy strikes, or even something small goes awry, we get frustrated and throw our fists up in confusion and hurt. All of the good that has surrounded us becomes blurred and the negative comes into focus.

I pray that I can grow into an attitude like Job’s in this instance. When the storms arrive in my life, and they will, I pray that I remember the good God has blessed me with and remember that I can praise Him in the storms of life as well. Through the storm He tells us that the “testing of our faith develops perseverance”. I pray that I not only take in the good from God, but also find the good in the hard times within my life. I pray that through those times He will be glorified and that I will have an attitude of gratefulness for all that He has done and is still doing through me and in my life.