Living in the Shadow of His Hand

 Let Me Be Job

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” - Job 42:5-6

This morning I was getting my makeup on and about to do my hair. I thought to myself “you’re not going anywhere today - just pin it back - put it in a ponytail”, and suddenly I hear in my head “the weather today is supposed to be brutal, what if you died today and your hair wasn’t done?”

Oh, I know that voice. That’s the voice of lies, the voice of condemnation, the voice of fear and anxiety. It was satan. (Yes, little “s” because he doesn’t even deserve his name.) And without even thinking, my mouth said, “Let me be Job!” AH! I know that voice too. It didn’t come from me. It was pushed out by GOD!

As soon as I said it I questioned myself. Would I really want to endure what Job went through?

Job lost his health, all his children, all his herds, and all his riches. Then his three friends show up telling him that he must have sinned to have all this come against him. The book of Job has 42 chapters. Most of them were his friends telling him how horrible he must have been to have this happen to him. What kind of friend is that? The kind satan sends!

But when you get to Chapter 38, God speaks from a whirlwind. He questions all the things that were said. He tells Job not to listen to his friends, who were somewhat ignorant of what God can do.

What would it take to be like Job? Job leaned on God the entire time. He did not give up. He continued to listen to his friends and stood his ground. He put his FAITH in God. Hebrews 11:6 says that without having faith, we cannot please God. Don’t we all want to please God?

At the end of God’s discussion with Job, he saw who God was. He repented from how he felt the fear. What did God do? Did He punish Job? No. He awarded him! In Job 42:9, it says “the Lord had accepted Job”. What a beautiful 5 words! And then God gave Job twice as much as he had before. Friends, our God is the greatest Father we will ever have.

If you know me, you know the amount of stress lying on my shoulders for the past 3 years. I don’t need to go into the details. But I can tell you that without faith in God, I could not walk this path. He owns me. I am His child. If He chooses for me to take the route Job took, I know it will be ok because He will walk with me. But Lord, I’m not asking to be Job! I’m asking you to continue walking with me - no matter what. Because in You I find my strength, and a love that is eternal.