DEVOTION – DAY 274

Job 1:20-21 “God Gives Generously”

 

Job 1:20-21 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, may the name of the Lord be praised.

 

Job was a very wealthy man. One day, everything that Job had was taken away from him. His wealth and all his children were taken from him. Job mourned his loss by tearing his clothes and shaving his head – that was how people mourned in ancient times. But Job did not blame God for his misfortunes. Instead, he praised and worshipped God acknowledging that God had the absolute power to give and to take away. The phrase, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away” is sometimes used by Christians to comfort others who had something bad happened to them. But somehow, such words do not bring much comfort unless we learn fully from Job’s experience.

 

Is it possible to lose everything in your life today? Sadly, the answer is Yes and it happens to 8 out of 100 people in this world. When someone has Alzheimer’s disease, the person’s memory and identity is lost. The person does not remember his or her possessions, his or her family, or even in severe cases, how to take care of themselves. It is truly a case of the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. But as we learn from the life of Job, if we read to the end of the book of Job, to the epilogue, we find that God restored and gave double back to Job. It is the case of the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away, and the Lord gave double back to Job. That final truth about the Lord giving double back to Job is comforting for us all particularly when we lost something in our lives. Our current loss does not end there.

 

In the case of family members having suffered Alzheimer’s or have lost a loved one, how has the Lord given them double back? Christian family members who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or other life-threatening disease have the assurance that God had indeed given them double! Their loved ones have been made co-heirs with Christ. They have been given eternal salvation. They have the promise of a new imperishable body. They have rewards waiting for them in heaven. They have no fear of death. The list goes on and on.

 

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we worship you for you are gracious and merciful. Even though you give and take away, you are generous and give us back again in ways that are beyond our imagination and expectation. Thank you for comforting those who are experiencing some loss. In the wonderful name of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

 

Questions

  1. What loss do you mourn over? How has your loss affected your relationship with God?
  2. How does this devotion help you to see beyond your present loss to the blessings that God has given you?
  3. Who can you share this devotion with to help comfort them in their time of loss?
  4. Job never blamed God. Job worshipped God instead. How can you continue to worship God despite your loss?