Undone in Twenty-One

The book of Job, in the Bible, is my favorite. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the story of Job, he was described as a "blameless and upright" man who "feared God and turned away from evil." He was a wealthy landowner, who had several children, and a seemingly close family. He prayed for his children regularly. While I highly suggest you read through the book, especially the early chapters to get a feel for Job's life, I will summarize by saying that Job had a very good life. Then God allowed Satan to tempt Job. I will just stop for a second here to explain that NOTHING that happens in our lives is outside of God's control. Satan needed permission to test Job, but to be clear it is Satan doing the tempting, not God. Satan assumed as soon as things started going south for Job, he would curse God and turn from his faith. (Spoiler alert: Satan was wrong)

Job had a series of catastrophes occur. Raiding troops, fire and wind storms took his livestock, his servants, and then Job's children. While he mourned such great loss, he praised God and trusted Him saying, "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Despite all that happened, Job trusted God. He knew that all of life's blessings come from God's loving hands, and he knew that God was sovereign over all of it. Satan tried harder and struck Job with boils and sores that itched. He was miserable, scratching his wounds with broken pottery. Job still did not curse God, even though his wife urged him to "curse God and die."

I won't pretend that my life compares with Job's. By some standards, I may live an "upright" life. Compared to much of the world, we are "rich". We might be seen as having an abundance like Job had. We have family we love, great friends, a nice house, and good neighbors. Thankfully I have a supporting husband who has encouraged my faith, not pushed me to abandon it, as Job's wife did.

Unlike Job, I have not known the loss of children, or all I possess. Though this past year brought us a long term unemployment, which has eaten our savings, it pales in comparison to Job's immense loss. Also unlike Job, I have discovered a misplaced trust in our security. Chad has worked hard and we saved up for future emergencies. We were trying to be good stewards of all that God has given us, and savings is a great idea (I do not mean to imply that it is wrong). I only bring it up to confess that I allowed a false sense of "self-security" to creep in by growing the balance of my savings, only to have to swept away like Job's possessions. What are we left with when that which we trusted in is gone? 

I was recently reminded of a story from Exodus chapter 16. The Israelites, whom were just delivered by God from Egypt, grumbled and complained that they were brought out to the desert to starve to death. God gave them manna from heaven (literally showered them with sweet bread). They were instructed to take each day the amount they needed to sustain them for that day (the only exception being that they could gather an extra serving so they didn't work on the Sabbath). God provided for them, even though they were ungrateful. He gave them bread, but they decided they wanted meat. So, God gave them meat, SO much of it that they gorged themselves until they threw up!

They gathered more manna than they needed for one day, trying to "save it up" and make sure they had extra (their own little emergency fund, if you will). They had been warned not to gather extra, and when they awoke the next day, they found it stinky and worm infested.

I have not gone hungry (perhaps the opposite is true during this covid period). My "grumbling and complaining" was more of a "whimpering and pleading" and always about my health. It is not the nerve disease (CIDP) or even the paralyzed leg that wears me down. It isn't the inability to go and to do the things I once enjoyed.  Most days it isn't even the chronic back and neck pain. It is simply the "one more thing" that has me in sackcloth and ashes like Job. It is the common place or mundane ailment that becomes the straw that breaks the camels back for me.

It is the latest migraine, the diverticulitis, the kidney stone, the coronavirus, or the sinus infection (all have happened in the last 6 months). It is that small little sickness that happens in addition to my "normal" health struggles that lays me bare before a mighty God. That "one more thing" that brings me to my knees in prayer, begging for mercy. That "one more thing" that makes all the busyness of the world stop, drowns out all the noise, and gets my eyes fixed squarely upon Christ, my only hope. It seems to always take that "one more thing" to get my attention directed back to God and away from myself, my worries, my planning for tomorrow.

It is that "one more thing" that reminds me that tomorrow has enough cares of it's own (Matthew 6:34).  Today, I get my daily bread, one portion of manna needed to get through this day, not tomorrow. I get grace enough to stand up under the tremendous burden, not in my own strength, but in God's strength.....one more day. For in my weakness, His strength shines through. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10) 

God gives each of us our daily portion every single day. We recite this in the Lord's prayer, which says "give us our daily bread" not tomorrow's bread or next week's bread, but enough for today. He is truly enough. 

If you have ever received an email from me, you may notice the verse from Job 13:15, which reads "though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." I hope you might read some of the story that I shared with you today. I pray that you too might find grace and strength in Christ today, and let tomorrow worry about itself. May God cause you to trust in Him, no matter your circumstances.

Until Next Time
~Shari

P.S. God restores double to Job at the end of the book, which you can read about in chapter 42!