Today’s Reading: Exodus 7:1–13:16

The people of God were too discouraged by their circumstances to find hope in God’s promises, too consumed by their own pain to see the capacity of God to rescue them and too stubborn to wait on God’s perfect timing and plan. They refused to listen. But God was about to get their attention in a grand display of His mighty power:

A plague of blood turned the water of the Nile River into a stinky river of dead fish, taking away the Egyptians’ source of drinking water.

A plague of frogs invaded their river, their bedrooms, their kitchens, their lives.

A plague of gnats covered everyone and everything, causing the Egyptian magicians to shout out “This is the finger of God!” – Exodus 8:19

A plague of flies filled their homes and the palace, covering the ground and throwing the land of Egypt into chaos.

A plague killing all the livestock owned by the Egyptians still did not move Pharoah’s stubborn heart.

A plague of festering boils broke out on all the Egyptian people.

A plague of hail fell on all the people, livestock and plants throughout the land of Egypt. Never in the history of Egypt had there been a storm like that, with such devastating hail and continuous lightning (9:24).

A plague of locusts covered the land, devouring any plant that had survived the hailstorm.

A plague of darkness covered the entire land of Egypt for three days.

It was finally the plague of the firstborn that caused Pharoah and the Egyptians to urge the Israelites to leave.

The Israelites became the audience to God’s grand display of judgment. During all of these plagues, God’s people were protected. The Israelites were given specific instructions to follow so that the angel of death would pass over their house, sparing their firstborn. God’s people had experienced His power firsthand and had a story to pass on to their children and grandchildren — from one generation to the next for the remainder of time.

“This is a day to remember. Each year, from generation to generation, you must celebrate it as a special festival to the Lord.” – Exodus 12:14a

“Then your children will ask, ‘What does this mean?’ And you will reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our families.’” – Exodus 12:26-27a

“This is a day to remember forever – the day you left Egypt, the place of your slavery. Today the Lord has brought you out by the power of his mighty hand…This annual festival will be a visible sign to you, like a mark branded on your hand or your forehead. Let it remind you always to recite this teaching of the Lord: ‘With a strong hand, the Lord rescued you from Egypt.’” – Exodus 13:3,9

TELL THE STORY OF THE GOD WHO DID SOMETHING!

The story of God rescuing the Israelites from their Egyptian captivity is a story I grew up learning and a story I have taught to my daughters. They know God is powerful because they know of the plagues. They know God provides “dry land” when all we see is “the Red Sea” in front of us and the “Egyptian army” behind us (Exodus 14).

But we have more than just the stories of those who have gone on before us to tell the next generation. We also have our own stories — stories of difficulty, pain and discouragement — times when God has stepped into our situation with a mighty hand. We have stories that provide proof that God provides and that God heals. These faith-building stories are gifts for our children and our children’s children. Let’s tell our stories of the God who did something.

Today’s Reading: Exodus 5-6, Psalm 42

HAVE YOU EVER ACCUSED GOD OF DOING NOTHING?

Then Moses went back to the Lord and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? Ever since I came to Pharoah as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!” – Exodus 5:22-23

So let me ask again — Have you ever been so bold as to accuse God Almighty of doing nothing?

Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, just as God told them to do, but Pharoah did not react the way the Israelites expected. God did not provide in the way and in the time His people thought He would. Instead of letting the Israelites go, Pharoah increased the workload by making the people provide their own straw for making the bricks. The workers took their anger out on Moses and he took his confusion out on God. God had a plan and He was about to move in such a way that the Hebrew nation would NEVER forget.

“…You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel, who are now slaves to the Egyptians. And I am well aware of my covenant with them. Therefore, say to the people of Israel: ‘I am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment. I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt. I will bring you into the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as your very own possession. I am the Lord!” – Exodus 6:5-8

HE IS THE GOD WHO RESCUES, WHO PROVIDES AND WHO SAVES!

What a powerful word from God! Yet the people were too discouraged by their circumstances to find hope in God’s promises, too consumed by their own pain to see the capacity of God to rescue them and too stubborn to wait on God’s perfect timing and plan.

I think this would be a good time to simply stop and self-reflect. Does this describe me? Too discouraged to find hope, too consumed to see God, too stubborn to simply wait for God to move.

“Oh God, my rock,” I cry, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?” Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?”
Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again — my Savior and my God! – Psalm 42:9-11

God, when I am tempted to accuse you of doing nothing, help me to remember ALL that you have done in my life — according to your plan and in your time. You are the God who rescues, who provides and who saves. Thank you for your presence in my life! To you be all the glory! Amen.

Today’s Reading: Exodus 3 – 4

While tending Jethro’s flocks one day on Mount Sinai, the mountain of God, Moses came across a blazing fire in the middle of a bush. The bush was engulfed in flames but was not consumed by the fire. As Moses stepped forward to get a closer look, he heard from God.

“I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey…Now go, for I am sending you to Pharoah. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.” – Exodus 3:7-10

AGAIN, GOD IS NEVER CAUGHT UNAWARE. HE IS NEVER WITHOUT A PLAN.

He knows how His people suffer and He hears their cries, responding with His perfect plan. Moses had the privilege to be a part of this plan – to have a front row seat to the mighty hand of God at work. But Moses responded in fear and doubt.

God said “Go” and Moses responded “Who am I?” God made it clear – It isn’t about who you are but about who I am and “I Am Who I Am” (3:14). Moses protested – What should I say? God responded – “Say this…” Moses reacted in fear and doubt, asking “What if…?” God pointed out the staff in Moses’ hand and told him to throw it down to the ground. It turned into a snake. God told him to pick up the snake by the tail and, when he obeyed, the snake turned back into the staff. God was showing Moses how He would perform all kinds of miracles to show Himself to both Pharoah and the Israelites.

Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.” – Exodus 4:11-12

GOD IS NEVER CAUGHT UNAWARE. HE IS NEVER WITHOUT A PLAN.

God has a plan and that plan often involves us. He calls us to do something and He desires obedience and faith. When we say, “Who am I? What can I do?” God says, “It’s not about you, it’s about me and I Am Who I Am.” When we ask how, God says, “Take what I have already placed in your hand, what I have already equipped you with, and let go of it. I will take it from there. I will tell you what to do and I will give you the words to say.”

Many of us are called by God to rescue others who are suffering. We have a message to give those who are hurting – God hears, He is concerned and He has a plan to rescue them. Let’s listen closely to God today as we make ourselves available to be used by Him in the lives of others. Let’s respond in obedience and faith instead of fear and doubt. Let others know that God has seen, He has heard, He is concerned and He has come down to rescue them!!!

Today’s Reading: Exodus 2:16-25, Psalm 111

Although Moses was adopted into this royal family, he never lost his connection with the Hebrew people. He saw how hard they were forced to work and came to their defense, killing an Egyptian who was beating one of the Hebrew slaves. When Pharoah heard of this, he tried to kill Moses so he fled Egypt and went to live in the land of Midian (2:11-15). There GOD PROVIDED him with a wife, the daughter of the Midian priest, Jethro.

IT WAS EVENING AND ZIPPORAH DID THE SAME THING SHE DID EVERY EVENING.

Zipporah gathered her empty water jug and walked to the well with her six sisters. Every evening the girls made this trip to the well, bringing back water to fill the troughs for their father’s flocks. It was her routine and, perhaps, her favorite time of day – the opportunity to take a walk with her sisters.

It was in living out her routine of daily spending time at the well that Zipporah’s life was forever changed. Today was different than the other days. Today there were cruel shepherds at the well who chased them away, keeping them from what they needed to do. But there was also a hero at the well who swept in and rescued the girls from the shepherds. His name was Moses (Exodus 2).

I wonder what Zipporah’s reaction was when this handsome man dressed as an Egyptian prince came to her rescue. Had anyone ever done something of that kind of value for her before? Did she realize the significance of this moment? Did she have any idea of how quickly her life was going to change?

Zipporah was simply living out her routine of daily spending time at the well and God met her there. Her life was never the same. God had a plan for her life and she began a new journey – a journey that would someday take her a very long way from her family and friends, from the life she had always known. God blessed her generously and she had a front row seat to watching her husband be used by God to rescue His people out of slavery.

It is in living out a routine of daily spending time at the well that OUR lives can be changed forever. God meets us when we faithfully spend time in His presence. Many days it will feel the same, like routine. But there will be days in which God gives us a moment that will change our lives forever. He has a plan for our lives and He longs to guide us daily on our new journey – a journey with God-moments, opportunities, and living water.

“And all who thirst will thirst no more, / And all who search will find what their souls long for, / The world will try, but it can never fill, / So leave it all behind, and come to the well.” [Mark Hall, Matthew West; sung by Casting Crowns]

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. – Jeremiah 17:7-8

Today’s Reading: Exodus 1-2:15, Psalm 34

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. – Psalm 40:1-2

The nation of Egypt had grown very powerful because the hand of God was on Joseph’s life, yet they continued to be a self-seeking, sinful people and they oppressed God’s children. A new king was now in leadership and he was intimidated by the size of Joseph’s growing family, the Israelites. He decided to make them slaves and appointed brutal slave drivers over them, assigning them with crushing labor.

Life was bitter for the Israelites as they were worked without mercy and under the pressure of ruthless demands (Exodus 1:11-14). The more Pharoah oppressed God’s people, the more the Israelites multiplied and spread. Pharoah gave an order to the Hebrew midwives to kill every newborn boy, only letting the girls live. But the Hebrew midwives feared God and refused the King’s orders. So Pharoah ordered all the Egyptians to kill every newborn Hebrew boy (1:22). Imagine the terror and grief of God’s people as their babies were yanked from their arms and cast into the Nile River. God heard their cries.

BUT GOD IS NEVER CAUGHT UNAWARE. HE IS NEVER WITHOUT A PLAN.

What a wonderful truth. Time and time again in history, we see evidence of God’s response to the oppression of a group of people. He raises up a leader or a team of people to stand up in opposition to injustice — racism, sexism, discrimination, hatred, abortion and more. God is not uninvolved, nor is He unaware. He does not wring His hands in uncertainty or turn His back. He empowers and equips His people, calling them to rescue and restore.

The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. – Psalm 34:19

God raised up a leader from those baby boys to rescue his people. A married couple from the tribe of Levi gave birth to a son and hid him for three months. When they could no longer hide him, they placed him in a basket and laid it among the reeds of the Nile River, with the baby’s sister watching close by. Pharoah’s daughter found the baby and claimed it as her own. Because GOD IS GENEROUS, He even worked out a way for the baby’s mother to take him back home and nurse him until he was old enough to move into the palace and be raised by the princess.

The princess named him Moses, for she explained, “I lifted him out of the water.” – Exodus 2:10b

His name was Moses because he was lifted out of his situation and rescued. God does not always respond immediately, but He is involved. There may be a period of time in which we cannot see the evidence of His involvement, but we can trust that He has a plan and that He is working it out for us. It may not be time for you to be lifted out of a situation, but you can trust that He is holding you in his hands and will keep you from sinking deeper if you will just let Him.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the many ways in which you have generously provided for us. Thank you for being present and active in our lives, knowing what has been and what will come. It is comforting to know that nothing about my day will catch you off guard; you are never unaware. Help me to trust you in the midst of it all. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Job 35-42

In our humanity, we often think we know better than God what should happen. In our arrogance, we often think we have all the answers. In our ignorance, we often question God instead of submitting to His plan. But do we know? Do we understand? Can we even imagine? Are we as strong as God?

Most of the book of Job is one long conversation. His friends have come to visit him after he has suffered great loss and pain. They argue with him that his sin has caused him to lose favor with God and that is why disaster has taken his family, possessions and good health. Job defends his righteousness and whines about how God has abandoned him.

A young bystander, Elihu, finally steps into the conversation to remind all of them WHO God is and to caution them when making such grand accusations against God. You remember who God is, right? The Creator of the world, the Almighty, the One more powerful than we can comprehend or imagine?

“Listen carefully to the thunder of God’s voice as it rolls from his mouth.
It rolls across the heavens, and his lightning flashes in every direction.
Then comes the roaring of the thunder – the tremendous voice of his majesty.
He does not restrain it when he speaks. God’s voice is glorious in the thunder.
WE CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE THE GREATNESS OF HIS POWER.

“He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down.
THEN EVERYONE STOPS WORKING SO THEY CAN WATCH HIS POWER.
The wild animals take cover and stay in their dens.
The stormy wind comes from its chamber, and the driving winds bring the cold.
God’s breath sends the ice, freezing wide expanses of water.
He loads the clouds with moisture, and they flash with his lightning.
The clouds churn about at his direction.
They do whatever he commands through the earth…

“DO YOU KNOW how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds?
DO YOU UNDERSTAND how he moves the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill?
When you are sweltering in your clothes and the south wind dies down and everything is still,
he makes the skies reflect the heat like a bronze mirror. CAN YOU DO THAT?

“We cannot look at the sun, for it shines brightly in the sky when the wind clears away the clouds.
So also, golden splendor comes from the mountain of God.
He is clothed in dazzling splendor.
WE CANNOT IMAGINE the power of the Almighty;
but even though he is just and righteous, he does not destroy us.
No wonder people fear him.
All who are wise show him reverence.” – Job 37:2-12,15-18,21-24

Stop looking for the sin in your life that has caused your suffering and start looking at how your suffering is causing you to sin. Perhaps your current pain is more about your present grumbling than a consequence of your past actions. Humble yourself and listen to what God has to say about your complaining and arguing.

Then the Lord said to Job,
“Do you still want to argue with the Almighty?
You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers? …
ARE YOU AS STRONG AS GOD?”… – Job 40:1-2,9a

Then Job replied to the Lord:
“I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you.
You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
It is I – and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me…
I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” – Job 42:1-2,6

What a powerful section of scripture. I wish I could say I have never argued with God. I wish I could claim I have never disagreed with God or questioned His decisions. Unfortunately, I am as guilty as Job. It was I who was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me.

This morning I recognize that YOU, Almighty God, are strong and powerful and wonderful. I listen to the rumble of thunder and I recognize your strength. I watch the lightning bolt across the sky and I recognize your control. I do not know what is best. I do not pretend to understand your greater plan. But I do trust you. I sit quietly and watch Your power at work – the power I cannot even fathom the depth of. You, Oh God, are holy and You, Oh God, are great! Amen.

Today’s Reading: Job 27-34; Psalm 40

Feeling alone in his misery, Job questioned the presence of God. Thinking he knew better, Job questioned the wisdom of God. Although he had been a faithful servant of God for years, Job was still unaware of just how great His God was.

QUESTIONING THE GREATNESS OF GOD

Are you currently questioning the wisdom of God regarding a situation in your life? Are you arguing with God? Are you angry with Him? Let’s look at some verses in Job to consider just how awesome and wise our God is — how worthy He is of our trust even in the most difficult times. Let us consider that God is greater than we can understand.

“Can you solve the mysteries of God?
Can you discover everything about the Almighty?
Such knowledge is higher than the heavens – and who are you?
It is deeper than the underworld – what do you know?
It is broader than the earth and wider than the sea?” – Job 11:7-9

“God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing.
He wraps the rain in his thick clouds, and the clouds don’t burst with the weight.
He covers the face of the moon, shrouding it with clouds.
He created the horizon when he separated the waters; he set the boundary between day and night.
The foundations of heaven tremble; they shudder at his rebuke.
By his power the sea grew calm…
These are just the beginning of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power.
Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?” – Job 26:7-12,14

“Look, God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him?
No one can tell him what to do, or say to him, ‘You have done wrong.’
Instead, glorify his mighty works, singing songs of praise…
Look, God is greater than we can understand. His years cannot be counted.” – Job 36:22-24,26

God, you are greater than we can comprehend. Help us to simply rest in your wisdom, submitting to your greatness and to your authority in our lives. Lord, give us the strength to let go of our need to understand and simply trust you. So when the reality we are facing is as bitter as our morning coffee, Lord, we ask for the gift of faith and the ability to trust in order to sweeten up our perspective. Thank you for loving us patiently when we lack understanding. We love you back! Amen.

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord. – Psalm 40:1-3

Today’s Reading: Job 19-26

QUESTIONING THE WISDOM OF GOD

Job questioned God’s wisdom in even allowing him to be born if He was going to eventually let him suffer like this (Job 10:8-12,18-22). Job demonstrates here an internal conflict between being in awe of the power of God and being disappointed with the wisdom of God. In one breath he is speaking of how great God is and in another breath he is questioning the motives and decisions of God. If Job was without sin before the hard times came, he is now demonstrating his humanity and sin nature by questioning the authority of God.

More than that, Job was downright angry with God. Many of us can relate to a moment in our lives when we questioned God or asked “Why?” In our grief, we experience anger but there’s a difference between taking our anger to God and taking our anger out on God. I think this is where Job messes up. It is not a sin that he is experiencing human emotions in the midst of his grief and pain; it is what he does with the emotions that trip him up. Job is arguing with God and criticizing God’s wisdom.

One of my favorite passages of scripture is God’s reply to Job’s accusations. If there is something in your life that has left you questioning the wisdom of God, I encourage you to read through this passage. If you find yourself questioning the heart of God, let these words remind you of how much your Creator loves you.

Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:
“Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell me, if you know so much.
Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line?
What supports its foundations and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted with joy?

Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb, and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness?
For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores.
I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop!’

“Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east?
Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night’s wickedness? …

“Have you explored the springs from which the seas come?
Have you explored their depths?
Do you know where the gates of death are located?
Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?
Do you realize the extent of the earth?
Tell me about it if you know!

“Where does the light come from, and where does the darkness go?
Can you take each to its home?
Do you know how to get there?
But of course you know all this!
For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!” … – Job 38:1-13,16-21

Father God, I pray that you would help us to trust you even through the most difficult of situations. I pray that we would rest in your wisdom even when we do not get the answer we are praying for. When we do not understand the movement of God, may we trust the heart of God.

“God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found, for he looks throughout the whole earth and sees everything under the heavens.
He decided how hard the winds should blow and how much rain should fall.
He made the laws for the rain and laid out a path for the lightning.
Then he saw wisdom and evaluated it thoroughly.
And this is what he says to all humanity:
‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’” – Job 28:23-28

Today’s Reading: Job 11-18, Psalm 30

“Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” – Job 2:10

Job’s friends seemed to have an understanding of Job’s sufferings as if it was simply Job’s turn. He had been blessed for years and now it was his turn to suffer the realities of life. When they could have encouraged him, Job’s friends chose instead to mock him. Where is your faith, Job, and where are your confident words now that the shoe is on the other foot?

“Your words have supported those who were failing; you encouraged those with shaky knees. But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches you. Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope?” – Job 4:4-6

When we are going through a difficult time, the words of our friends are powerful. They can speak life and truth into our situation, or they can speak defeat and discouragement. It is sometimes difficult to decipher the truth from lies when our emotions are high and we are exhausted from our circumstances. The power of words can either encourage us to persevere or cause us to fall into despair. Job followed the lead of his friends and began to question where God was.

QUESTIONING THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Job developed an attitude of self-pity and defeat. What good does it do to argue with God if He isn’t listening? Why cry out if He doesn’t bother to respond?

“So who am I that I should try to answer God or even reason with him? Even if I were right, I would have no defense. I could only plead for mercy. And even if I summoned him and he responded, I’m not sure he would listen to me. For he attacks me with a storm and repeatedly wounds me without cause. He will not let me catch my breath, but fills me instead with bitter sorrows. If it’s a question of strength, he’s the strong one. If it’s a matter of justice, who dares to summon him to court?” – Job 9:14-19

I agree with Elihu’s response to Job when he said, “But it is wrong to say God doesn’t listen, to say the Almighty isn’t concerned” (Job 35:13). It may feel at times as if God isn’t paying attention. Job felt that. The psalmist David felt that. Perhaps you are feeling that right now. Please let me encourage you with the truth that God loves you and He is never uninvolved, He is never uncaring and He never leaves you alone. Let’s pray the 30th Psalm together:

I give you all the credit, God—
you got me out of that mess, you didn’t let my foes gloat.
God, my God, I yelled for help and you put me together.
God, you pulled me out of the grave,
gave me another chance at life when I was down-and-out.
All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God! Thank him to his face!
He gets angry once in awhile, but across a lifetime there is only love.
The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter.
When things were going great I crowed, “I’ve got it made.
I’m God’s favorite. He made me king of the mountain.”
Then you looked the other way and I fell to pieces.
I called out to you, God; I laid my case before you:
“Can you sell me for a profit when I’m dead?
Auction me off at a cemetery yard sale?
When I’m ‘dust to dust’ my songs and stories of you won’t sell.
So listen! And be kind! Help me out of this!”
You did it: you changed wild lament into whirling dance;
You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers.
I’m about to burst with song; I can’t keep quiet about you.
God, my God, I can’t thank you enough. – Psalm 30, The Message

Today’s Reading: Job 1-10

ONCE UPON A TIME

There was once a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless – a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil (Job 1:1). Most of us know the story. Job was a righteous man who had been blessed abundantly by God. He had a large family, lots of servants and lots of animals. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area (1:3).

Job lost everything when Satan challenged God regarding the faithfulness of Job. God allowed Satan to test Job by taking away his possessions and then by causing him physical pain through terrible boils from his head to foot. Job’s response shows the strength of his faith as he continued to praise God.

“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!” – Job 1:21

When his wife nagged him, encouraging him to curse God and die, Job’s response was powerful: “Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” – Job 2:10

As we read through his book, we see that Job is having a difficult time. He feels the pain and suffers from the loss just like anyone else would. He is surrounded by friends who are trying to give him advice through this time of suffering but seem to only be saying the wrong things. We have probably all been there— either we have been the one going through a hard time and had well-meaning friends say something that makes the pain worse OR we have been the one who has sincerely tried to comfort a friend only to end up saying the last thing they wanted to hear.

Job’s friends assume that Job is being punished for something and needs to repent in order for the hard times to end. Perhaps Job’s friends are slightly enjoying the fact that Job is not perfect – that something is finally going wrong for him. Jealousy is a powerful thing, even among friends, and it is possible that the words of self-righteousness coming from Job’s friends are a result of past envy or attempts to measure up to Job.

Job’s friend, Bildad, made a mistake commonly made today. He assumed that earthly blessings come to the righteous and the wicked can never prosper here on earth. “But if you pray to God and seek the favor of the Almighty, and if you are pure and live with integrity, he will surely rise up and restore your happy home. And though you started with little, you will end with much.” – Job 8:5-6

We have all heard the prosperity gospel, and probably believed it to some degree. But the fact remains that there are some godly Christians who live and die “dirt poor” by earthly standards, and there are some very ungodly, unbelieving people who have everything they could possibly ask for in regard to their position and possessions. This is not always easy to understand but our response to what seems unfair in life should be to simply trust God and, as Job did, look forward to our heavenly rewards instead of measuring our earthly possessions.

AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

Job’s story has a happy ending. God stepped in, healing Job physically and restoring him with earthly possessions even greater than what he once had. And the great news for us today is that our story has a happy ending also! No matter what our current circumstances are, no matter how much we are suffering today, Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in heaven where there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more loss.

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last.
And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God!
I will see him for myself.
Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.
I am overwhelmed at the thought!” – Job 19:25-27