Praise the LORD

Read Job 1-3
 
Job 1:20-22 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21 He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” 22 In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.
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Job 2:9-10 His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.” 10 But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.
 
THE Daily Bible makes an abrupt change from Ezekiel to contemplate Job’s (Jobe) story. Even though the events of Job’s life are said to have happened about the time of Abraham, the story was not recorded until the time of Judah’s exile. This story – written in poetic form – is difficult to read. Who wants to know about such loss and suffering? Job’s wife didn’t want to know. She urged her husband to “curse God and die” because she couldn’t watch her husband suffer. She was angry, too, at God, blaming him for afflicting her righteous husband.
   Is that your response to suffering? We can read of Israel’s problems with some detachment. “Those people brought trouble on themselves.” we say. But, with great discomfort, we must admit God allowed Satan to bring the mourning and sickness onto Job.
   Is that why we suffer? Is it true the LORD gives the devil permission to afflict us? Or is there something deeper to know? Is suffering a trial directly from God to draw us nearer to God? Or even more, is suffering a ministry? Are some called to suffer to reveal God’s grace to the rest of us? Or is suffering the result of our sins?
   Job’s story will confront and answer these questions. Our task is to be humble to hear what God says through this ancient man’s life. Our lives are at God’s mercy. We love God through the good things he gives us. Do we still love him in the hard things? We need to know how to respond to God’s touch on our lives, to even see God in the suffering. Our task here is not to curse God and die, but to praise God and live into his eternal goodness.