One of my favourite stories in the Bible is about a man named Job, now this story is not often talked about as it is brutal, but I love it because it really shows faith, trust, hope, tragedy and triumph. I feel as though many people avoid this story as we would all hate for it to happen to us.
The story is found in the book of Job in the Bible. But this is pretty much how it goes:
(NOTE: This was in the old testament times before Jesus died on the cross, things where very different back then.)
There once was a man named Job, and he had everything. He was the richest man around, he had houses, camels, donkeys, money, ten kids (seven males), servants, everything!
In todays time he would have Lamborghini's and a private plane, yes that kind of rich.
But Job was also a good man who loved God. His kids loved to party, so Job would often ask for God's forgiveness on their behalf, just in case they were being naughty.
Now Satan was saying that the only reason Job loved God so much was because God had blessed him with such a good life, he had never been through hardship therefore if times got tough Job would end up hating God.
God let Satan put Jobs' faith to the test, what happened after is not pretty.
The first tragedy that happened to poor Job was this; all his Oxen and donkeys were stolen and a heap of his servants were killed. Just as Job was being told of this news another servant came and said a fire killed all his sheep and the servants that were there. Once again just as the next horrible news was being told another servant came telling him his camels were all stolen and the servants killed. Then just as the latest servant was speaking another came with horrid news, all of his ten children were killed when the house they were partying at collapsed.
Can you imagine! Everything Job had and held dear was brutally taken from him in the matter of hours... everything.
I can't even place myself in his position, and I don't want to! What a nightmare.
So what did Job do next? Scream and yell at God? How many of us would?
Job ripped his clothes in anger, shaved his head (I don't know why), then he feel to his knees and said.
"Naked I came from my mothers womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." Job 1:20
Wait what!?
May the Lord be praised, Job, your whole life has just been smashed by a giant hammer!
Amongst Jobs heartbreak and tragedy he kept his head and chose to to keep his faith and love for God in a hopeless situation.
Wow.
After all these things God says to Satan; "My servant Job, there is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason."
Satan claims that what Job went through wasn't bad enough and that if Job was ill he would then curse and hate God.
Wait! There's more that happens to Job? Yeah... sadly there is more.
So then Satan made Job ill with painful sores from the bottom of his feet to his head. Jobs wife tells Job to stop his integrity and to hate God, curse Him, spit at the sound of His name.
Jobs reply is breath taking, "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"
When Jobs friends came to visit him they barley recognised him due to the illness, they then weep and cry for what he had lost. For seven days and nights they all just sat together, saying nothing.
After this Job wished he was never born and cursed the day he was born. He asked God why me? What have I done wrong to deserve this?
But never cursed God.
His friends and Job have probably one of the longest arguments ever about life, God and hope. By the sounds of things Jobs friends where not very helpful. Though throughout it all Job proclaims his integrity will never die until the day he dies.
God intervenes and speaks of many things and how He appreciates that Job spoke well and truthfully of God even in all his suffering.
After all this, after everything was taken away from Job, then his friends gave him an un-called for lecture, God blesses Job, giving him twice as much as he had before. All of Jobs friends and family came together for a feast, and each of them gave Job their love, comfort and then gave him one piece of silver and a gold ring.
Job had twice as many live stock as before the tragedies and had ten more children, seven boys and three girls, all of which were given an inheritance and Jobs three daughters were the most beautiful in the land.
Job lived to be 104 years old! He watched his family grow and lived to see the forth generation of kids. Job passed away as an old man full of years with such a big life story.
Yeah... wow.
How many of us have lost our integrity and love for God? And why?
Maybe you have experienced a Job life, everything, just everything taken away from you.
But no matter what has happened to you or what you may be going through, it is completely up to you on how you react. No one can react for you, no one and nothing else choses your attitude, you do that.
If life is rough for you right now then have a vent, speak to someone but don't give up, and don't give up on God.
Throughout Jobs troubles God was there even through Job may not have felt like it, and that happens all the time now a days. Sometimes in our troubles God seems to be far far away. But that does not mean you should give up, keep the faith, God always comes through, always.
He won't give up on you, it's us who gives up on Him.
Search and search for that hope, no matter how small, even if you have to dig for it. Because it will be there, waiting for you to find and be empowered by it's strength.
Hope is not measured by its size, but by its strength.
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