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For non-believers there is nothing to be gleaned from this article except and that is a very big except, God is in charge, like it or not. No one challenges your right of choice nor do I wish to foster my beliefs onto you. Yet, as believers we ask the same of you.
Well, the lesson of the Book of Job, as you would hear from many preachers, is that Job was restored to prosperity and friendship. That he was given a new family and more then what he had before the trial.
Yet, the fact that Job lost his loved ones and he was utterly destroyed is rarely discussed. The happy ending sells much better. Now in my opinion even the message has been shaped to make it more marketing palatable.
Well who just was Job? Job was a blameless and upright man who feared God and avoided evil. In other words he was doing everything God asked of him. He was very wealthy and certainly many considered him blessed. However, how did it come to be that Job lost it all? Well it was a test between Satan [The Devil} and God. It was really well "what if", that led to it all.
The entire lesson is that Job was a pawn in the Devil's challenge to God. The fact that Job finally understands that he was nothing without God and he accepts and repents is the triumph of the Book. In the end Job is restored to even more then what he was in the beginning. You see Job has learned the lesson of who is Like unto God, certainly, no one or thing. God can do all things and is all-powerful. So Job, as we might place in human terms, learned to be silent before God and not question Him and to accept that which God has deemed fit to provide for him. It was the reality of God could do what God wants to do.
Yet as a loving human being and father one cannot help trying to understand in human terms how Job felt about losing all of his family? One could be broken because of lost wealth but all of that can be obtained again. However, the loss of a loved one is different. His reply was the Lord gives the Lord takes away. That is the truth many of us fail to keep in mind. We never feel the hand of God would ever touch us. Certainly it is a valid argument for those who would say God does not do evil. However, God may not do the evil He just may allow it. Also, does not God Himself say He is the God of good and evil? Yes, part of the complexity of the Word many place all their faith in.
However, as unique beings loved ones can never be replaced. Everyone Job ever loved, gone, taken, died. Oh, yes, he started another family, yet how could Job ever forget his first loved ones? How can anyone say he forgot? I would say as humans no one would blame him for being mad. However, after hearing God, I tend to believe he accepted their loss and submitted to the will of God. He took his new family and loved them to the full never knowing if God would ever take them.
So how many are led to the book of Job when undergoing trial? Like Job's situation, the questioning of God and the why me Lord, what have I done? Are there not many more who are worse then I? Have I not tried Lord, acknowledging my sin is forever before you? Well, the lesson is simple God is in charge and God can do whatever He pleases and it is not for us to question Him. We may be broken, hurt, crushed but in fear we should accept what is done. Yes, fear of God.
In reality the entire Bible warns and for that matter all religions warn to fear God. The real question is the word fear is a very strong word. Fear, which is so over whelming it, attacks the body and the soul. It makes men tremble and cower. Do we really do this? Do we prostrate ourselves before the God we say we believe in? Do we humble ourselves in church or temple before the Alter of God? Do we think of doing that which God commands before we do it or do we just do what we care to do with no concern as to if God would like it or not? Are we concerned for the possible consequences before God? Are we truly repentant for our sin and the wrongs we do and do we show true remorse for our sins before Him? If God could do this to Job why not us? Finally, as Job was instructed to do, make penance for his friends, do we as well?
I'll use this as a simple but true example. I'm a Catholic by religion, a Christian by faith. Catholics believe the real body and blood of God resides in the tabernacle in every church anywhere in the world. Now if one were walking into that place where God resides would we walk in talking, laughing, noisy, or would we enter in fear, submissiveness, humbleness, silent before God? The answer is at every door at every Mass. What do you suspect is the answer? Better yet, would we, who believe we are receiving the literal Body and Blood of God, not kneel before Him when receiving Him even though a man says we do not have to?
No in fact I suspect and in my opinion we might be on our face before Him, in fear.
Now I do not single out just Catholics, I talk to all religions and orders. Do you enter the worship place of God in awe or as just another edifice? So as Job learned, we are all subject to God and only by His mercy and love we have what we have? It is certainly not by anything we do, but by His grace.
I think it is an important lesson that we all must learn. We must understand that when we undergo trials we must endure in silence, humbleness and in faith and not be bitter, blasphemous, swearing and cursing but in prayer and submission hoping the God we say we believe in will deliver us and lift the trail and break the chains. However, even if in the end it is literally the end we have no say. For when we all cross over we will have our answer. Better to have served Him well, in fear of His power and majesty, for Who is like unto God, then to defy Him. I venture to say this should be a very sobering consideration..
Robert T. Melaccio Sr. Copyright 2007, , Copyright 2007 Robert Melaccio Sr.
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