Has thou considered my servant Job . . . ?
- THE BURDEN OF THE FREEDOM OF FREE WILL
When ready to take a step forward in faith, Job is the place to start. It is one of the hardest pieces of scripture to read and can be even more difficult to understand. Even though it ends well, Job experiences deep anguish throughout the story. That anguish might cause us to remember our own or to fear the experience of it.
The fact is that Jesus called us to take up our cross and follow Him. He promised us love, advocacy, hope, fulfillment, guidance and companionship, indeed He promised even more than that, because we need it. We build strong faith in Him, we lean heavily on His promises, we utilize the tools He gives us for a purpose. We have difficulties to battle in life, and we need His help through them. As His followers, we also participate in a bigger battle. Let Ephesians 6:12 remind you that...
"... we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
Job's story is situated in such a way that it exhibits both battles... life. On one hand, we have family and livelihood; on the other hand, we have faith and kingdom. In both cases we we wrestle to be good/worthy, capable/productive... amidst a slew of the full ranges of adversity, emotion, and the burden of the freedom of free will.
Job is our special example in that he near-mastered (for all fall short of the glory of God) the elements of family, livelihood and faith and kingdom. Like him, with steadfast diligence, wholehearted love and commitment to God, we can maintain the beautiful blessings God builds within and around us. It is simple, yet it requires arduous work. It is good, fulfilling, rewarding work... but it is work and we must be glad to do it (after all, we are fellow-workers with God, 1 Corinthians 3:9).
- DEFY SATAN'S POSTULATIONS
Yes, we are fellow workers. Our actions are examples to others. The life we lead is a path; we are, to varying extents, responsible for those we convince (deliberately or even inadvertently) to follow it. We set an examples for our family, friends, or neighbors and acquaintances and even the people we may not see, who stand in or outside of our periphery. The story of Job reminds us that we are an example, also, to those who supersede this life, this earth: sons of God (angels), the good and the corrupt. Job was an example to Satan. God was proud to showcase Job as a faithful man, one who defied all of Satan's postulations that true love/faith does not exist.
- BATTLE WITHIN THE KINGDOM
Satan did not believe that Job truly loved God. Satan believed that Job loved what God did for him. When he made this statement, not only did Satan manipulate the relationship between God and his child, but he also endeavored to fracture the very foundation of the kingdom of God. Here we can see the battle within the kingdom, and how all four elements are interwoven. We are Job in the sense that each of these four elements of life: family, livelihood, faith and kingdom, are relevant and active today.
Consider your tribulation, consider your blessing. Could there be, right now, an ongoing debate in heaven about your commitment? Your resilience? Your faith and love for God? Surely we know that God roots for you, and more even than that. He has put Himself on the line for you. He believes in you. His doubters do not. Do not give them, the doubters, the pleasure of being right. Fight. Believe in God as He believes in you.
- THE SELF-PITY BUS IS FULL AND HEADED NOWHERE
We all fall prey sometimes to well... self-pity-parties. In those moments, we forget who we are. We are God's children. As God's children, promises have been made to us. There is purpose even we we do not see it; even when we do not hear it, as Job did not hear Satan's conversation with God. That which is meant for evil against us is changed, is meant for good from God (Genesis 50:20). In our lowest moments, it is crucial to consider that perhaps there is a debate about us and that God has presently, vehemently taken our side.
Satan's darkness tries to tempt us. God's light tries to test us. Satan tries to wither us down to nothing. God tries to refine us down to our solid core. Our strength. Our resilience, our unbreakable part. Our spiritual backbone. Job wailed, the loss of just about everything, everyone nearly destroyed him. The one spark of life he had left was his relationship with God. His solid core that enabled him to withstand the pain, everything until God re-manifested blessing. Job hung his head. He was defeated in many ways. It is okay for you, too, to hang your head. But pray while you do it. Do so and there will be purpose in the pain, a beginning for an end.
And because our relationship with God is our solid core, we should not blame God. It is the nature of the world to cause disruptions in life. It is not the nature of God or the kingdom. Satan's intention is to prove you weak. God's intention is to prove you strong. Satan uses his (limited) power, time and effort to dismantle, to confuse, to destroy. But God is limitless. Powerful, exceeding the bounds of time and effort. God builds, explains, restores. We must know the nature of both God and Satan. We have to know who we are dealing with... who is gambling for or against us. We have to decide who will we prove right, through how we live here and now.
We have to choose God. And when we do, there is no reason for pity. We are blessed even when we are down, and we will not be down long.
- MUCH IS REQUIRED
It is important to mention the Bible verse "to whom much is given, much is required"(Luke 12:48). This was the case for Job. He had many blessings. His big-blessing required, though we could more accurately say, elected or qualified him, to be an example for the purpose of the kingdom. He was qualified, elected to do the hard work of fighting against those principalities and powers, rulers of darkness and wickedness. Job's case teaches us that hard work probably looks different from what we expect. Just because a person is not a preacher does not mean they are not orating an important message directly to an audience in which Satan himself is sitting. Each of us, in our way, preach a message that is crucial to the kingdom.
The verse from Luke 12 should not frighten you. Our blessing requires things that are easy to give, we just have to be diligent to give them. Things such as our gratitude to God, our surplus (more if we are inclined) to others, or time, our effort, our concern, our light to places and people that are deficient. And most importantly, to give our example to the world. We do not have to act or be perfect, we simply have to live well, in accordance with the scripture we represent as children of God. It is simple. It is much only in that it is so important and must be done without lapse. When it does feel like much, remember that God is with us every day and each moment offering to bear the weight, Matthew 11:28.
Our tribulation may look different from Job's but the purpose is the same. Even if we cannot yet see it, as Job could not yet see it. The battle is the same; do you maintain the light of the kingdom? Do you serve as an example of its truth? Have you the faith to persevere? Hate says you cannot, you do not, you will not. Love says you can. You do. You will.
Scripture: Job 1