Bible Reading: Job 1:1-22 The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” (Job 1:21)
“It never rains, but it pours!” Not many can identify with this old adage as well as Job could. Within hours, he loses everything that is dear to him – livestock, possessions and children! How does he respond? How do you respond when calamity strikes? Well, I look at myself, and I’m not sure whether I’d be as cool, calm and collected as Job appears to be in this account. How could he respond in this manner? It begins with the knowledge that everything we have – whether much or little – has been given to us by our Father from the abundance of His grace and provision. He is the source of every good gift and the rightful Owner thereof. We have merely been granted stewardship rights. This divine prerogative is something Job understood. Does this understanding lessen the tears or severity of the pain? No, but it does redirect our focus to the Source of our joy – a joy independent of earthly possessions – our Father Who can and should be praised in the good times as well as the bad.
Prayer Father, this pain is great, but you are greater; this hurt is deep, but Your love for me is deeper; these tears seem endless, but so is your mercy.
