The picture that comes to my mind is the picture of someone in denial, blithely gliding through a tragedy without it touching them, with a pasted on smile. In the past few years, I have walked the path of grief several times and have not glided through untouched. Oh, I have worshiped, but the anguish has been real. Can you relate?
Each time I have studied Job, I had a picture in my mind of his just accepting all the catastrophes nonchalantly since he worshiped and praised through it even though I knew he sat in ashes for a time. The depth of his grief was minimized in my mind as everyone always concentrated on his attitude of praise. This perception left me feeling a bit guilty as I grieved whether over people or over expectations and dreams.
In chapter 1, after God lifts Job up to Satan as an example of a faithful man, God gives Satan permission to take all Job owns to prove that Job will remain faithful. In one day, his livestock, sheep, camels and servants are killed leaving him without livelihood. As he is hearing this news, he learns that his children have been killed. Woah. All in one swoop, everything is gone. How would he respond.
This morning as I was reading Job 1:20-22, it hit me. He grieved hard. He felt the sting, the anguish. Yet... He praised our God.
20 Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head.[a] He fell to the ground and worshiped, 21 saying:
Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will leave this life.[b]
The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.
Praise the name of Yahweh.
and naked I will leave this life.[b]
The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.
Praise the name of Yahweh.
22 Throughout all this Job did not sin or blame God for anything.[c]
I came to a stop as I read this passage. Job grieved. He grieved. Yet, in his grief, he did not sin or blame God. He simply praised God's holy name!
Next, since Job was faithful, God gives permission to take Job's health. I am sure he still grieved as he remained in the ashes. Yet, even when his wife tells him to curse God, he says,
10 “You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?” Throughout all this Job did not sin in what he said.[b]
Grief and worship. My mind went to another passage.
13 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
We grieve, but we also have hope. We know that our Father is in control. We know that one day, our tears will be wiped away as we are told in Revelation 21:1-4
21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea no longer existed. 2 I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.
3 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne:[a]
Look! God’s dwelling[b] is with humanity,
and He will live with them.
They will be His people,
and God Himself will be with them
and be their God.[c]
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Death will no longer exist;
grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer,
because the previous things[d] have passed away.
and He will live with them.
They will be His people,
and God Himself will be with them
and be their God.[c]
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Death will no longer exist;
grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer,
because the previous things[d] have passed away.
Grieve and worship. For someday, all will be made right.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers
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