Thoughts for another day

Aug. 10, 2007

Today's verse: Job 2:10. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

There are many precious phrases and promises in God’s Word, touching the heart. Many of them come from the Lips of the Father. But to a few, He has granted utterance by man. The above of Job, is one such gem.

My friend, when we undergo trials and it seems we are going to go under, our first thought is to curse God. To revile Him for what has happened. I remember once something not so good happened with me and I told the Lord, ‘Lord, You could have easily prevented it no, then why did You allow it?’ Surely this is like the pot asking the potter questions it shouldn’t. But God allows it for the sake of His love and mercy. Nevertheless, should we question Him? Or, be like Job?

To better understand the import of today’s verse, let’s visit Job and see the condition he uttered them in. Well, Job is sitting in the courtyard of his house (or the rubble of his house). From the head to the sole of his feet he is covered with painful boils – smelly and itchy. He, a nobleman who just yesterday, had all the wealth the world could afford a man and today, sitting amid the debris of what he had, in a horrifying and putrid state, the puss in the boils rolling out and marring his skin with unbearable stench. The itching is terrible and Job takes a piece of a broken pot to scratch his back. Rather pitiable condition no, so much so that you can hardly recognise him. And by the way, he knows of no wrong he had done to anyone, so why the calamity?

In this condition comes his wife who tries to sow hatred toward God and Job castigates her and utters the above verse. What a wonderful example of accepting God’s will. It truly amazes me to hear something like this. This is such precious thing and so wonderful. I pray with you asking our Father to give us too the grace to say the same, when we are tossed by the storms and billows of life. Remember God knows what He is doing and what He is doing is always right.