Within, what seems like minutes, Job loses everything. He loses all his possessions, all of his sons and daughters and then his body is attacked! He suddenly finds himself without a future. All of it, gone. Sudden. Knocks him to his knees, where he sits in a heap of weeping, sackcloth and ashes.
He was a righteous man by all accounts. He prayed faithfully. He was smart in the business of his household. He was wealthy. He was a faithful husband and a father who loved his children, but more importantly, he loved their souls. He prayed continuously for them. He did everything that was good in the sight of God. In our day we could say that he had reached the American dream. Successful in every way and obedient to God.
Suddenly, he becomes a homeless man, grieving over the graves of all ten of his children. Everything, is all gone. Just he and his wife sobbing together. She tells him, ” Just curse God and die.” Grief has overtaken them. Three of his friends show up. Initially, they weep with him. Then they begin to try to figure it all out. It must be something he did. Job must be at fault. They do more damage than good. Somehow, he did not please God. Repent! But, Job was faithful to God. He is as puzzled by the devastating circumstances he finds himself in, as his friends. Why, do very bad things happen to good people? A question that has been asked millions of times through the centuries.
~Thought For Today~
There is no answer to that age-old question. Or is there? When I was young, before I realized that life is about more than making sure I was having fun. Seeking after material things that get old, wear out, fade out of fashion. Before, standing at the beside of the four people who I spent the first eighteen years of my life with, as they drew their last breath. Before, I stood at the beside of my husband on the brink of open heart surgery and a battle with a staph infection. Before I stood with a dear friend in the weeks, months and years after the loss of her son at twenty-one. Before all of that, God was not the first one I took counsel with. I listened to friends. I focused on worldly opinions. Strive for what was the “fashionable” or “trendy” way to live. Try to keep up with worldly expectations and definition of a successful life. What was acceptable by everyone, but the most important one…Almighty God.
On about my fourth day sitting in hospice with my mom, in a state of despair, Bible open on my lap, seeking help to get through what was a tremendous tragedy to me…my answer came. I began in Psalms. As I sat day and night, for eight more nights, reading and marking my Bible, God revealed Himself to me.
God wanted the very best for His children. But He had then, and has now, rules that must be followed. Do not rules. You can have all the fruit in this garden but, that fruit. There on that tree. It will change your life forever. Stay away from it. Do not eat! So simple. Just obey my word.
Our first parents had it all. Until that moment when they met evil, there in the garden. Evil has a voice. Awe, God won’t know. After all, this visitor in our paradise says, God just wants to deprive you of knowledge! In other words, God doesn’t want us to be as smart as He is. They fell for the hypnotizing words. We still do. What can one little bite do? They took it. Within the next hours, God came walking in the garden. The paradise created for His children. The perfect garden where evil had crept in. Suddenly, because of their disobedience, judgement fell upon them. They were out the gates of the place created with love, for them. They changed life for all of us. Evil got a foothold right there. Until, Jesus returns for His flock, evil will bring chaos, pain, and suffering. We have recent evidence, that evil increases in its intensity. It breeds.
That evil event in the garden was what visited Job. It is the same evil that today is attempting to snuff out God and overtake us. It is the same evil that is the source of unbearable grief this morning. One more empty chair, because of evil working among good people, just doing what helps their families. Working, loving, caring about God, their families and their country.
God is not at fault here. He is the one who comes bringing comfort to the mourning. He is the One who sits with us at bedside. He is the One who demands obedience. He is the One who sent Jesus, so all have the opportunity to correct that garden event. Our way to eternal life. Our way to a time when evil will no longer exist. Back to paradise. He is the One who lifts us up out of the fear, sorrow, ashes and the sackcloth.
Sound far-fetched to you? Unbelievable? We need to be very careful about our decisions. If all of it is false and a hoax, then trying to live a life that glorifies God has given us just that. A life that was meaningful. A life trying to do good things. A life trying to love and care about others. A life lived as a witness for Christ. And then at our death, it is over.
But, if it is true, and I believe with all my heart, that it is…And we decide to live life on our own by the standards of an evil world…the price exchanged for that temporary pleasure, will be eternal life. My friend, is that a price too great to risk? We see what evil is. Do we get it? It is time to choose. To stand up and be a light for Christ. Evil runs when faced with Christ. He becomes a whimpering coward. The prayers of believers reach our God who dispatches warriors to bring those answers to pass. This is not the time to lay down and take it. This is the time to mount up on wings of eagles and scatter evil to the far corners.
~Scripture For Today~
Job 16:1-5
1Then Job answered, 2 “I have heard many such things; Sorry comforters are you all. 3 “Is there no limit to windy words? Or what plagues you that you answer? 4 “I too could speak like you, If I were in your place. I could compose words against you And shake my head at you. 5 “I could strengthen you with my mouth, And the solace of my lips could lessen your pain. (NLT)
Isaiah 41:31
31 Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. (NLT)
Daniel 10:12-13
12 Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. (NLT)
~Prayer For Today~
Hello Father! We are in the battle. We see it all around us. Give us courage to walk on the field of battle instead of standing on the sidelines. Give us the strength to mount up and to run through the field of battle without getting weary. Father, all the terrible things we see are causing us alarm and a good bit of fear. Remove that fear. Give us courage to stand and be the lights of Jesus. Forgive us of our complacency. Forgive us for sitting in silence. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
©2015 Kathy Ledbetter. All Rights Reserved.