Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Job - Jesus loves me.

Job 1:8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."

I really debated putting more than one verse, but I just didn't want to. I thought there was so much to see in just this one verse that it deserved a whole post all by its little self.

Satan has been bragging, again, about how he has had such an impact on everyone on earth. The pride that satan has developed over how he can persuade and manipulate people to do what he wants them to do - which is, quite simply, anything contrary to what God wants. The idea of this is infuriating - not just because satan is so evil - but that what he claims is pretty accurate. We, as a people, are easily swayed.

Then God speaks.

Have you ever watched a romance movie where the man, who you thought - kind of - maybe - liked the girl in the lead role, lays his whole heart on the line and confesses how much he truly loves her in the end. Think Pride and Prejudice. She spends the whole movie somewhat giving and taking, never wanting to wholly open up to Mr. Darcy - but then finds out in the end how much he deeply loves her.

Not that God is anywhere close to Mr. Darcy, but some of us play the role of Elizabeth Bennett. Only giving what they think they're getting. Why oh why do we play these games.

When God speaks here, we can see the amazing amount of love He has for Job and all of us. He praises Job for his commitment and love of God. If we could hear God in heaven speaking about us, would we not hear the same praise? Job was not perfect, this book never says he was - he was a man trying to live a life blameless before God. As we all are. Struggle after struggle. Know that God cares for you, loves you, and praises your efforts when you strive to be like Christ.

2 comments:

sailorcross said...

WOW!! This is amazing!! God is speaking to a lot of people about His unfailing love today!!

And it is a wonderful thing that God loves and cares for each of us, is there for us during the good times and the bad--the times we struggle and will continue to struggle.

To think of God in Heaven looking at me and saying, "Well, have you ever considered my servant __________ (fill in your name). There is no one like this person!"

Yes, God deeply loves us.

Beth

Kelly said...

Whenever I read this verse I had mixed emotions. First "oh that my name could be on God's lips, that he would think of me like that." Then "May my name NOT be on God's lips to alert Satan...then he'll attack."

It's an amazing story, that Job.