December 9, 2022
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given for you today, is from the book of Job 1:21, “The Lord Gave And the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the lord.”
From the above context we understand that God who gives us all that we have also has the right to take away from us. There was no picture grandeur and more touching than that of Job, who was very wealthy and happy during his earlier days, rich, joyful, with all his children around him. He lived in much honour and dignity and walked upright before God. Then came the dramatic completeness and suddenness of his great trials. One day he was suddenly stripped of all that he possessed. Though Job lost everything he did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
Job felt that God had taken away what belonged to Him. He did not murmur against God or complain about his loss. May be He blessed the Lord for giving him life. Job was a spiritual man, who trusted God. He was a prayerful man, who kept his seven sons and three daughters, covered by prayer and supplication. He was a wise man who had been blessed by God in many ways. And he was a pillar of spiritual piety among his peers. But Job was unaware of the spiritual battle that was raging in heavenly places. Although he knew God as Creator, and worshipped him with reverent fear.
Multiple disasters befell the stricken man, including the death of his ten children, and the loss of his entire material assets. His many possessions and dearly loved offspring were all snatched away from Job in one day but this godly man did not curse the Lord despite, the broken hearted grief. Job tore his mantle, in anguish of hearts, shaved his head, as a sign of mourning and inner turmoil and fell on the ground in order to worship the Lord. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Satan thought that Job would curse God. But Job recognised that everything he had was a gift from the Lord. And acknowledged that God retains the right to remove it. God is equally justified in permitting evil to overtake his servant as well as good.
Job’s response to his tragic loss demonstrates a truly extraordinary man. With a truly remarkable faith in God. He reacted to his woes with worship. And to his devastating losses with reverence and humility of heart. Job did not curse as satan had supposed. Despite his ongoing problems and pain he retained his faith in the Lord which honoured God.
May the Lord help you also to reiterate the words that came from the mouth of Job and the sentiment that ruled his heart, even when we do not, know or understand why difficulties and disasters strew our pathway. May we be prepared to cry like Job, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” God bless you.
Prayer: Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the amazing lessons we can learn from your servant Job. Lord we thank you for the many blessings you have graciously given us throughout our life. Teach us to realize, that all that we have is from You. And whether we are rich or poor, whether we have much or little, Whether we are rejoicing or in mourning, May we rejoice in the goodness always whether You give or take away,
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
