Wed.’s Devo - Job’s Test

Read: Job 1:1-3:26; 1 Corinthians 14:1-17; Psalm 37:12-29; Proverbs 21:25-26 Job means “the cry of woe”. He lived in the land of Uz which means “counsel”. He was a very rich man who feared God and lived his life with integrity. He and his wife had 10 children: 7 sons and 3 daughters. Job became the center of a challenge God made with Satan, unbeknownst to Job. *** One day God met with his heavenly court and Satan, the Accuser came. God asked Satan where he had been and he told him he had been patrolling the earth. God asked if he had observed Job and his fear of him. Satan said he feared God because he was protected with blessings and prosperity. So God told Satan he could test him in the area of his possessions. *** Satan lost no time in taking it all in one day. He took his children and everything he had. Job’s immediate response was to bow and worship the Lord. He proclaimed that everything he had had come from God and now he had taken it away. Then he praised the Lord. *** God met again with his heavenly court and Satan came with them. Once again God asked Satan where he had been and he replied he had been patrolling the earth, watching. God asked Satan if he had noticed Job’s reaction, and he had. Satan said that a man would give up everything to save his own life, but if you take away his health he would surely curse the Lord. God trusted Job so much he allowed Satan to take his health, but he could not take his life. *** Satan lost no time. He put itching boils all over Job’s body. Job sat in the ashes scraping his boils with broken pottery. Even his wife told him to curse God and die. *** Job’s three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar came to visit him. They were devastated when they saw him. They sat with him a week not saying a thing. *** Finally Job spoke up and cursed the day of his birth. He wondered why God would create a person who had no future. What he had feared had happened to him. He had lost his peace. *** We read about how Haman told the king how he would like to be honored only to have to do that to Mordecai. We see the reverse here. Satan knew what Job feared and he did that to him. But, no fear, God always has the last say. *** In Corinthians, Paul says that love should be our highest goal but when it comes to spiritual gifts we should desire above all the ability to prophesy. Prophesy strengthens, encourages and comforts others. *** Speaking in tongues is great to build up the speaker, but unless there is someone there to interpret what is being said, it only benefits the one speaking in tongues. Paul encouraged them to look for ways to help build up one another. *** Lord, help us to tend to our own garden by speaking in tongues, reading our Bible and talking to God. But, let us desire to use our gifts and energy helping others. May we be encouragers and strengthen our brothers and sisters with God’s words.