Consider Job

In my devotion this week as I was reading the book of Job, I came across the Words of God when He challenged the devil to consider Job.

Job 2:3 KJV

[3] And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

This made me think, why did God provoke Satan to consider Job, who was so upright, godly, a responsible father and husband, and a generous man. What was His purpose?

After God allowed Satan to tempt Job, with his evil intent and without delay, the Devil attacked and killed his 10 children. He also destroyed all his livestocks and his rich possessions. Satan then turned to Job’s wife that she temped her husband to curse God and die.

Human as Job was, our gracious God allowed him to show his human emotions to vent and complain. Job, was not perfect in his reaction as any man would. He cursed his day of birth and questioned why he was allowed to be born just to suffer.

It appeared that the Lord was listening while Job was talking. The Lord allowed him to express his anger, frustrations, and regrets. However, In spite of all the losses and the grief he suffered, Job never lost his trust in God. He took everything as God’s prerogative and will.

To top it all, (I am sure another strategy of Satan), Job’s 3 friends came supposedly to sympathize and to join him in grief, but they turned out to be miserable comforters. They accused him of guilt and deserving of all the tragedies he went through. They condemned him guilty of offending the Almighty God and the only way to appease God was to admit his sin.

The final vindication came when God rebuked and reminded Job of His gracious will and purpose. Job’s humility was manifested when he asked God to teach and forgive him. He also admitted his unworthiness in the presence of the Holy God.

God also rebuked the three miserable comforters and made them pay restitution to their friend they offended.

One amazing thing Job did was he obeyed God and prayed for his 3 friends. He had the magnanimous heart to forgive. His willingness to be corrected, his acceptance of God’s will in his life, and his willingness to pray and minister to the people who accused him led God to bless him bountifully.

Job 42:12-13 KJV

[12] So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she ***.

[13] He had also seven sons and three daughters.

Whatever happens in life (as long as it is not wrongdoing), let us keep on trusting God and accept and thank Him for everything. For God knows what is best for us!