The Well
The Well |
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Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Thursday
September 11, 2008
Then the Lord asked Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest
man in all the earth – a man of complete integrity. He fears God and will have
nothing to do with evil."
Satan replied to the Lord, "Yes, Job fears God, but
not without good reason! You have always protected him and his home and his
property from harm. You have made him prosperous in everything he does. Look how
rich he is! But take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to
your face!"
"All right, you may test him," the Lord said to Satan. "Do
whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don't harm him physically."
So Satan left the Lord's presence…
Job stood up and tore his robe in
grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground before God. He said, "I
came naked from my mother's womb, and I will be stripped of everything when I
die. The Lord gave me everything I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise
the name of the Lord!"
In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.
Job 1:8-12, 20-22
Yep, we are going to glance through the book of Job now. I don't know about you, but I need it! It's also a time to honor 9/11.
No matter how many times I read this passage of scripture I am still amazed that Satan has to ask my Father for permission to test me. I often wonder if maybe sometimes they get me confused with someone else, because I certainly don't meet the criteria Job met in order to be tested in the way he was tested, and I certainly have not always responded in the way Job responded; and believe me, I've been through some incredible testing. Seriously, it is amazing isn't it?
Were you raised to believe that if bad things happened to you that God was punishing you? I certainly was. However, now when something bad happens I try to remember to return to these verses. I recognize that something I am doing must in some way be helping someone or Satan wouldn't be attacking me. We would do well to remember this.
God's will for His children is to do good for them, to heal them, to help them, to bless them. However, Satan, the father of lies, comes to steal, kill, and destroy whatever good God gives us. He wants to steal our joy since he knows he can't take away our salvation.
Now, I know you know all of those things, but if you are like me occasionally we need a reminder. I am making a promise to my Father that when bad things happen in my life I am going to praise Him all the more…when I remember! Let's do this together!
Heavenly Father, I cannot imagine how it must be for you when Satan is constantly coming before you with his requests to hurt Your children. I am deeply grateful that You place limitations on him. I thank You for Your Word and how timely You lead us to the right passages at the times we need them the most. Continue to bless those who read these words, those who benefit from their ministries, and be ever close to those who don't have the strength to cry out to You today. Help us know when to reach out our hand to help people find the way without getting in the way of what You are trying to do in their lives. We hunger to glorify You!
