There are lots of days when I think I have really got it tough. And, I guess that almost everyone I know goes through the same thoughts. But no one has ever had it as bad as Job, the guy who lost everything! His story is in the Old Testament, and is meant to tell us the truth about ourselves and about God.
As Job's story goes, he was a very rich man who had an abundance of land, livestock, and family. But, most telling about Job was his love for God. So much goodness had come his way, yet Job was always thankful and he thanked God for it
The story finds God in Heaven with the angel, Satan. God is pleased with Job because Job is so grateful and tells Satan that Job is the greatest man in the world, and one who loves God the most.
Well, Satan says, "He wouldn't be so grateful if he had a little pain in his life, I'll bet!" God decided to take Satan's bet and began to take things away from Job. First he took his flocks, then his fields, then his wife and children, and Job was penniless with none of his loved ones to support him. On top of all of this, he became very, very ill, until almost dying.
Three friends came along finding Job without a penny or a person who loved him. And so, they began to tell Job what he had done wrong to cause all of this to happen. Their names were Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Each one said their piece and Job tried his best to straighten them out. Of course, each one claimed that he must have done something wrong for God to torture him so, but Job began to tire of them telling him what to do. He only wanted God to hear his pleas, and wondered why God did not answer them. Finally, he just wanted to die.
There is a happy ending to this story of Job's life, but you will have to read the book to hear about it. However, there is much in the story to teach us about living today...and tomorrow. This is something of what the study on the book of Job tells us: "In verse Job 6:7, Job said that Eliphaz's advice was like eating the white of an egg. When people are going through severe trials, ill-advised counsel is distasteful. They may listen politely, but inside they are upset. Be slow to give advice to those who are hurting. They often need compassion more than they need advice."
In Chapter 5,verse17, we also see a view of discipline that has been almost forgotten: "Pain can help us grow. These are good words to remember when we face hardship and loss. Because Job did not understand why he suffered, his faith in God had a chance to grow. Also, God does not eliminate all hardship when we are following him closely, and good behavior is not always rewarded by prosperity. Satan's ploy is to get us to doubt God's goodwill toward us."
God is good. He truly is Good. When I was a young woman, and not knowledgeable about God, I did believe one thing about him that proved true. God allows us a lot of room to make mistakes, but He also sends His Spirit to train and lead us to better ways. Perhaps, our life on earth is like a "finishing school." I don't know if they even have these anymore. Perhaps they call them "charm schools". But, Heaven is the real world, the one in which I want to live. Here on earth we are being trained to live, really live, in the heavenly realm with our Lord and Savior, Jesus.
Just sayin'.........God is really good, and Job? Well, he has been good to us by this teaching! Eh?
Jo inMN
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