Wed.’s Devo - Job’s Response

Read Job 1:12-22 God gave Satan the power to attack everything Job owned but he could not touch Job himself. Satan is merciless. He can do nothing the Lord doesn’t allow him to do but if you give him an inch, he will take a mile. The next day Job got the message from one of his servants that while his kids were feasting, the Sabeans attacked and killed the servants and took all the oxen and donkeys and he was the only one who escaped. Before he could finish his story, another servant arrived with news that fire fell from heaven and burned up his sheep and servants and he is the lone survivor. Before he could finish, another servant arrived with news that the Chaldeans had stolen all his camels and killed all the servants except him. Then a fourth servant came in with news that a great wind from the wilderness came and destroyed the house where his children were feasting, killing all of them with their servants and he was the only one that survived. Jobs response: he got up, rent his mantle, shaved his head, and fell down on the ground and worshipped God. He acknowledged before God that he had nothing when he came into this world and everything he had obtained had come from God. Now God had taken everything away and he would still bless his name. What a response! After losing everything, Job did not sin or blame God foolishly. Job lost his livelihood and his family and was left with four servants he could no longer pay and a wife. The Chaldeans mean “clod-breakers” so Job was attacked by earth, wind and fire…. and the Sabeans which means “busybodies”. I guess they stood for the demons sent from hell. And in all this he did not blame God foolishly. No doubt he was devastated by the fact that he rent his mantle and shaved his head. It is mind-boggling to me how God allowed this and how Job passed the test. God knew he would. Lord, help me to remember Job’s response when things don’t go my way and I feel attacked. Remind me that we are in a battle against good and evil, God and Satan and You will always win.