This time of year is full of goals, aspirations, and the hope that the New Year brings. We should want the best of the New Year, to work hard and be better than we were, to be more loving, more content, to serve with whole hearted devotion in all that we do. Yes to all of this!!!
I was talking to my best friend the other day(my husband) in the kitchen. I asked him “Do you think people in Biblical times had goals? How about Job? Do you think he thought of things in this way?”
My husband answered this: “In my limited understanding of how they lived back then, and what the culture was like, I would have to say that Job didn’t think about things the way we do now, he just wanted to be loyal to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
Loyalty is defined as: A strong feeling of support or allegiance. Faithfulness, obedience adherence, devotion.
Job's response to the events that took place in his life, leave me in complete awe. His oxen and donkeys were attacked and carried off, fire fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and servants. His sons and daughters were struck down by a collapsed building and died.(And this was just the beginning)
The Bible tells us what happened next:
Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
Stepping into 2019 may be joyful for some, and for others there may be pain, loss of a loved one, or even sickness that ails you or someone you love. You may not feel in your heart the will to be hopeful or inspired for the New Year……and that is ok.
The one thing that Job did do, is that he fell on the ground and worshiped. That alone leaves me speechless and in tears all at the same time.
He worshipped.
What a powerful thing to do in the midst of unbelievable pain. When I think of Job’s response, I see a man who was so much more than the house he lived in or the things he owned. He loved his God and NOTHING- I mean NOTHING was going to sway his devotion.
If this New Year be one of great joy, worship him, love Him.
If this New Year is filled with hardship, worship him, love Him.
My husband was right, Job desired to be loyal to God. He trusted that the God of Abraham Issac and Jacob, was who he said he was. What was being taken from Job was completely irrelevant to who God was to him. That, is an unmovable trust.
I want that.
Blessed be the name of the Lord. Happy 2019 friends! So much love to you all as we learn to trust in the one who loves us immeasurably!!!….Tess