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UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND TRUST FOR GOD SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2008
Job 1:1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. It’s easy to love God when things are going well and we are being blessed; it’s not so easy when we are suffering.
Suffering comes to everyone, no matter how good they are, how wise, how Godly—no matter how many good things they do. Good people get sick, experience tragedy, lose their finances. That’s a fact of life. It’s true that people suffer because of sin, but that does not mean that everyone who is suffering is sinful and we have to be careful not to judge.
YOU MAY BE SUFFERING RIGHT NOW. It may be sickness, loss of a loved one, financial hardship, relational. It may be repossession of a car, foreclosure on a mortgage. You may be incarcerated or about to be tried for a crime that you didn’t commit (or one that you did). You may be disabled, chronically ill, or caring for someone that is in that condition. No matter how sick you might be or how confined you are---whether you are stuck in your house, or sitting in a prison cell, I think it’s safe to say that you haven't suffered more than Job. In fact, his name is often associated with suffering and patience. But, he was also a man whose name is associated with loving God unconditionally, no matter what was happening in his life. The beginning of his life was absolutely wonderful. He was very righteous and God rewarded him abundantly for that. God blessed him and blessed his wife and children. Job had prosperity in his finances, his possessions and, most importantly, in his family! And, Job made sure that he always thanked God, praised Him and made sacrifices for himself and for all of his family. Job 1:-5 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East. 4 His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's regular custom. GOD WAS PROUD OF JOB—SO PROUD THAT HE “BRAGGED ABOUT HIM”. Job 1:8 "Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." But, Satan scoffed at this. 9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." But God knew that Job really loved him and would continue to do so no matter what. 12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
Job loved God, not just because of what God could do for Him, but because God was God. Although Job didn’t understand everything about God, He understood that God was the One who gave him breath and who deserved his worship. He understood that God caused him to prosper, but his love for God was not conditioned upon that.
When Satan struck Job’s fortune and family, Job didn’t sin. Even when all his children perished, this is how Job reacted: Vs 20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." 22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
So Satan tried another tactic. Job 2:4-5 4 "Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. 5 But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face."
But, God knew that Job would never curse Him. Job 2:6-8 6 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life." 7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.
I thought I’d suffered a lot in life, but then I read about Job. He lost his fortune, his home, his children, and now he lost his health and was stricken with a horrible disease that caused constant intense pain and also separated him from other people including his wife.
Then, his wife added to his suffering. 9 His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" Now, it must be said here that Job’s wife had lost everything too. She’d lost her fortune and all her children—she lost everything and she blamed God as well as her husband. We shouldn’t judge her too harshly, however, her reaction shows how bitterness can flow into us and then we can say and do things that cause even more pain to others; maybe even causing them to stumble. Be careful when you are in pain that you don’t cause serious damage to someone else. You will get over your pain and even forget what you’ve said and done, but they might not get over the fall that you cause.
Job would not curse God or even blame him. Vs 10 He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
I don’t think that I would have reacted as well as Job did up to this point. How about you?
JOB HAD SOME FRIENDS THAT LOVED HIM AND THEY CAME TO COMFORT HIM AND, AT FIRST, THEY SHOWED GREAT SYMPATHY. HAD THEY CONTINUED THAT WAY, THINGS WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT, BUT THEY DIDN’T.
VS 11 When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. 12 When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. 13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.
It amazes me that these three guys were able to stay completely silent for 7 minutes let alone 7 days. But, they did…and then they made up for lost time.
Sometimes, we have people who come to comfort us when we are down. They may show us great sympathy and understanding (at first), but there will be some who will end up doing what Job’s friends did to him: blame him for his own suffering—accuse him of being punished for doing evil.
It started by Job bursting out with complaints. That was understandable because he was in great pain and discomfort—physically, emotionally, and as a result, spiritually. He needed to vent his feelings somewhat and it would have been nice if his friends had just sympathized with him, but they didn’t. They accused him. JOB 3 11 "Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb? 12 Why were there knees to receive me and breasts that I might be nursed? 13 For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest 14 with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves places now lying in ruins, 15 with rulers who had gold, who filled their houses with silver. 16 Or why was I not hidden in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day? 17 There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest.18 Captives also enjoy their ease; they no longer hear the slave driver's shout. 19 The small and the great are there, and the slave is freed from his master. 20 "Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, 21 to those who long for death that does not come, who search for it more than for hidden treasure, 22 who are filled with gladness and rejoice when they reach the grave? 23 Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? 24 For sighing comes to me instead of food; my groans pour out like water. 25 What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. 26 I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil."
Job more than wished he was dead; he wished he’d never been born. Have you ever felt that way? Many of us have. Feeling that way once in a while is normal, but STAYING that way is not. And, it’s dangerous to our spiritual well being.
After this, one by one, Job’s friends ascribed every evil known to man to Job. Why? Because he was suffering so he must have done horrible things. Sound familiar? Maybe you have had this same kind of comfort…or maybe you’ve done it to others. I must admit that, in my lifetime, I’ve been on both sides. I’ve not only been judged but, sad to say, I’ve judged others. When we judge others for something, we absolutely guarantee that we ourselves will be judged---it doesn’t matter if we are right or wrong in our judgment. The scriptures clearly say that the judgment we receive will be measured by the judgment we dole out to others. To me, that’s the best reason not to judge. Another “best” reason is that we cause a lot of hurt to other people when we judge—so let’s not do it.
Back to Job. A long period of time went by with Job’s friends continuing to accuse him, reasoning that he must have sinned greatly to have been afflicted the way he was. And each time, Job would defend himself. Many many chapters of the book of Job are filled with the dialogue between Job and each one of his “friends”.
Job suffered greatly and, although there are many theories as to why God allowed it, we really don’t know for sure why. We just know that He did. Many of us are suffering and perhaps other people have some theories as to why but they really don’t know why and neither do we. So we have to trust God…just like Job did. And truly, when all is said and done, in all that Job said and did, he never stopped trusting God. In fact, Job made the statement “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him”. He also said… 25 For I know that my Redeemer and Vindicator lives, and at last He [the Last One] will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin, even this body, has been destroyed, then from my flesh or without it I shall see God, 27Whom I, even I, shall see for myself and on my side! And my eyes shall behold Him, and not as a stranger! My heart pines away and is consumed within me. Job 19:25-27 AMP That was a true confession and, also true, was the next part in verses 28-29… 28If you say, How we will pursue him! [and continue to persecute me with the claim] that the root [cause] of all these [afflictions] is found in me, 29Then beware and be afraid of the sword [of divine vengeance], for wrathful are the punishments of that sword, that you may know there is a judgment. At the end of this, God speaks directly to Job and Job “sees” God. Seeing God’s holiness causes Job to repent. Of what? Of thinking he or anyone else could be righteous in his own strength. Seeing the holiness of God showed Job how far from this he was. But, God also vindicated Job and said that the things he’s spoken were true and that the things his so called friends had spoken were false. The only thing that saved his friends from judgment was that Job prayed for them. And, after he prayed for his friends, God healed, delivered, and restored Job. He gave him much more than he had originally had. He blessed him incredibly. When Job was struck with illness and misfortune---when he lost all that he had---he didn't lose his belief in God. Even in the midst of his great despair, when his family and friends accused him of all manner of sins he had not committed, Job didn't renounce God. In fact, he said "though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15) After a period of time, God spoke to Job (and to his erring friends) and gave Job a much greater revelation of Himself. Job 40 1 The LORD said to Job: 2 "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!" 3 Then Job answered the LORD : 4 "I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. 5 I spoke once, but I have no answer— twice, but I will say no more."When Job, who was the most righteous man on earth, saw God in all His holiness, he repented and worshipped God even more than before. God told Job to prayer for his friends and when Job did that, God restored his fortune and his health. In fact, He more than restored it; He gave him far more than he'd had before. Job 42:10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. Job had suffered and lost all, but because Job's love for God wasn't based on his circumstances or merely on God's gifts, God reversed his circumstances. We can experience this same kind of reversal. But, in order to experience true reversal, we must LOVE GOD JUST BECAUSE HE IS GOD. Do you love God unconditionally? Do you know that He is with you when you are having a "bad" day just as He is when your day seems great? If you feel that you fall a bit short of this, don't despair; God Himself will give us the kind of love and faith we need to trust Him in everything. All we have to do is ask God and He will supply. In fact, of all the things we could possible ask God to give us, this is the most important and the thing God most wants to give us. ASK HIM NOW. Matthew 7:7-8 Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened. If you need prayer or help, email us
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