Let’s Show God

I am reading through the book of Job right now and it is, once again, so pertinent to our circumstances today. Amazing how God’s Word does that, huh? For those who do not know the story. Job was a man of great faith. A successful farmer with a large family, and many servants. Satan claimed Job’s faith was based upon his wealth. He believed, if Job lost his wealth, he would lose his faith and curse God. The Lord had faith in Job, and so He allows Satan to take away Job’s wealth. Satan kills all of Job’s animals including his donkeys, sheep, and camels. He then kills all of his farmhands and shepherds. Satan doesn’t stop there. He also kills all of Job’s children. Leaving Job penniless and alone. Only Job’s wife survives. Still, Job does not lose his faith or curse God. Satan then claims it’s because Job has good health, but if he lost his health he would lose his faith and curse God. God continues to have faith in Job and allows Satan to do as he pleases without taking his life. Satan, therefore, “…struck Job with terrible boils from head to foot” (Job 2:7).

Now Job is a sinner, just like the rest of us, but he had not done anything to deserve these consequences. God was essentially betting on Job. Believing in Job’s faithfulness. Similarly, we are sinners too, but we have not done anything specific to deserve Covid-19. Sometimes bad things happen. Bad things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to good people. We do not live in paradise. We live in a fallen world, full of fallen people.

The question is, will we lose faith and curse God when bad things like the coronavirus happen? How about a hurricane? Tornado? Any other illness. Cancer. Heart disease. Stroke. Alzheimer’s. 

It is easy to have faith when things are going well. It’s much harder when things are not. Like Job, I can understand frustration, weariness, disappointment, and even anger. However, think about this. When your child is afraid or in pain they usually run to you and want to hold on tighter, don’t they?

I don’t know if this coronavirus is a test, like Job’s situation was for him. My prayer is that we continue to face this unexpected event affecting every facet of our lives, by running to the Lord, and holding on tighter to Him. He is the only source of true restoration, healing, and peace. 

At the end of the story, we learn that Job never lost his faith. God restores his fortunes. Giving him twice as much as he had before. God even gives Job ten more children and he lives to see four generations of his children and grandchildren.

God does bless the faithful. Let’s show God that Satan cannot get us to curse Him either. Let’s show the Lord that our faith is true by encouraging each another, and helping one other during this most difficult of times. Let’s show God that He can bet on us too. I do love it when Satan loses.  

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