Job 1:13–22 (ESV)
13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” 22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
Today is hump day Wednesday you are half way to the end of the week. Maybe it has been a challenging, troubled, or even tragic week. Maybe you feel like you are trying to swim upstream in a raging river. God teaches us a lesson through Job on how to handle these days. Can you imagine and maybe you can what it would be like to get bad news continually as Job did. Four times (my highlighting) one after the other, no time to breathe or to take it in or to process the news before the next messenger arrives. Like a flood that is about to overcome as Job’s life is crashing down around him.
Job’s response to these tragedies and our lesson is to fall down and worship God. It seems impossible to find relief and hope in such cascade of disaster and even more when they response should be to turn to God and worship. Job knew God could have prevented him from losing everything. In that desperate time Job worshiped God.
From this passage I have given advice to others and sometimes remember to apply it to my own life that in the midst of a hard day, a bad day, or even a tragic day to sing a song. To sing to God any song even if we don’t know the words to a song. Sing what we know and worship God. Hum if you must but make a joyful noise to God. Deny sin and Satan the victory of despair blessing God who gives and takes away.
rockbridgebc.org 