Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”
Shalom. Brothers and sisters in Christ’s love. Perhaps on this earth, there is no one who has experienced suffering as severe as Job’s. Why? Job experienced extraordinary suffering. Job lost all his sons and daughters. Not stopping there, Job also lost all his wealth at the same time. (Job 1:13-19)
And the suffering didn’t stop there; Job suffered from head to toe. (Job 2:7)
But Job’s suffering didn’t stop there either; Job’s wife cursed him (Job 2:9 Then his wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”). Job’s friends who came to him did not strengthen him, but they seemed to accuse Job of doing something unworthy or accuse Job of sinning against God.
We can imagine and feel if we were Job. We would experience extraordinary suffering. Losing all the beloved children, losing all wealth, getting sick all over the body, having our wives against us, and also friends accusing us.
There is one word that can summarize all of Job’s suffering, namely “LOSS”. Job lost his sons. Job lost his wealth. Job lost his health. Job lost his wife. Job lost his friends.
If we read why Job experienced this suffering? The answer is because Job loved God, because Job feared God. We all worship God so that we are kept away from all dangers and suffering. But Job experienced LOSS of everything because of his loyalty to God.
Then what if this happens to us? We are faithful to God with a genuine fear of God, but we experience tremendous suffering? When the devil tried Job, God didn’t speak to Job at all. God didn’t answer Job’s prayers.
If God had told Job, “Job, later the devil will try you with all great trials, but don’t be afraid I am with you”. Surely Job would be strong, Job would answer God: “Okay God, I’m ready”. But the reality is God didn’t tell anything to Job. Job wanted to bring this matter to God, but God remained SILENT. (Job 23:4 “I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments.”)
Instead, in God’s SILENCE, God is working. God proves that all the accusations of the devil against Job are wrong. Job loves God not because of all the gifts of God but Job loves God himself. Job loves the Giver, not his gifts (Job 1:21 he 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.”)
Perhaps you are currently experiencing a major problem and God is silent. You have prayed, you have cried out to God. But God remains SILENT. But through Job, we learn that when God is silent, God is working for His glory. When God tested Job, whether he loved God because of God’s gifts or God himself, God took away all His gifts to Job. And we will see what Job’s reaction is.
Likewise, with us. Currently understanding that Job lost all the gifts of God, but Job still loves the Giver. Because there is still something left for Job. Namely, when Job is tested by the devil, God says: just spare his life. (Job 2:6)
We must be grateful to God for whatever He still entrusts to us. (There is still something left for us) Because God will surely still give us something. And even if we have to lose our lives, we still have Jesus who cannot be taken from us. (Romans 8:39) We are grateful not because of the situation or condition, but we are grateful because we have JESUS.
If we are grateful for the gifts of God, while we live, we get older, we lose more and more. When we were babies, we were pampered and lived leisurely. But as we grow up, we have to learn to walk on our own. We lose the embrace of our parents and have to start school. We lose time to relax and play. Then we start graduating from school and have to earn money, starting to lose comfort and worry about the future. And continue to mature until finally aging and starting to lose our health. At its peak, we will lose our lives. Yes, that’s life, if we live gratefully for the situation and condition, then our lives will be full of loss. But if we live because we have Jesus, then peace, joy, and thanksgiving will never be lost in our lives.
So God proved the devil’s accusation wrong against Job, through God allowing the devil to take away everything Job had, including his health and what he loved. And God was silent. But in all this, God works in His own way (Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.)
God’s plan for Job happened, Job remained faithful and loved God. Job remained hopeful and relied on God. So Job said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. (Job 42:2) And God restored Job, and Job received twice as much as what he had before. (Job 42:10)
We learn a lot from Job’s experience. Job had the lowest standard of living, namely he 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!” (Job 1:21)
If we die wearing clothes, and using a coffin, that is an advantage that we have. This is not easy for us to understand and feel. For that, we need the strength of the Holy Spirit who always accompanies us. We also learn that God’s silence is a time when God works to see our faith.
When we lose the gifts of God, what is our reaction? Do we complain, grumble, or get angry with God? Moreover, we are tested because of our obedience to God. Because of our loyalty to God, we experience trials. This feels unfair to us. But that’s where God works to overcome all the devil’s accusations against Job. God has a beautiful plan for all of us.
Let us walk in God’s plan. Although sometimes God does not reveal His plan to us. There is one thing we must hold onto, namely GOD is GOOD. He will not harm us. He has a beautiful plan. Although we may not see His face, not hear the voice of God, still believe in Him. (Matthew 5:36B “Do not be afraid, just believe!”). May the Lord Jesus bless you. Amen.
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