…Job got up and tore his clothes in grief. He shaved his head and threw himself face downward on the ground. He said, “I was born with nothing, and I will die with nothing. The Lord gave, and now he has taken away. May his name be praised!”
Marvelous. And as much as we like to put our head in the sand and pretend otherwise, the reality is that we come into this world with nothing and we leave with nothing. It is in between the two it remains for us to praise your name, Lord. May I always do so (Habakkuk 3:17-19).
In spite of everything that had happened, Job did not sin by blaming God.
Marvelous. May I always respond in this way, Father.
When the day came for the heavenly beings to appear before the Lord again, Satan was there among them.
Competing news agencies. 😊
The Lord asked him, “Where have you been?”
Satan answered, “I have been walking here and there, roaming around the earth.”
“Did you notice my servant Job?” the Lord asked. “There is no one on earth as faithful and good as he is. He worships me and is careful not to do anything evil. You persuaded me to let you attack him for no reason at all, but Job is still as faithful as ever.”
You were indeed playing with him, Lord – but all within the rules of The Game.
Satan replied, “A person will give up everything in order to stay alive. But now suppose you hurt his body—he will curse you to your face!”
So the Lord said to Satan, “All right, he is in your power, but you are not to kill him.”
Here it is Satan who is pushing the game further! Even still, everything is within your power, Lord.