CCBC

Give and take – 4 February 2018

I’ve just started going through Job as part of my daily Bible readings and was struck again by Job’s remarkable words of worship following all the tragedies that hit him in chapter 1: “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” (v21).

Notice that although Job’s tragedies are directly attributable to Satan, he can only operate within the boundaries set by the Lord (v12).  In fact – and I say this very carefully – Job triumphantly declares that ultimately everything is under the direction and control of the Lord.  Indeed this must be the case if we truly understand the sovereignty of God.

Furthermore, what this means is that even through life’s tragedies, God is actually working for our good and His glory – even when, like Job, we may not understand what is happening to us – and even when God doesn’t explain why either (refer to the end of the book)!  May God help us all to cling on to Romans 8v28 through all of life’s experiences.  Above all, let us look to Jesus who prayed in the midst of the most awful suffering ever “not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22v42).

Peace and Grace

Paul