Falling to the Ground

Scripture

1 There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. ² He had seven sons and three daughters. ³ He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area.

⁴ Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them. ⁵ When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice....

¹³ One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting at the oldest brother’s house, ¹⁴ a messenger arrived at Job’s home with this news: “Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, ¹⁵ when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

¹⁶ While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

¹⁷ While he was still speaking, a third messenger arrived with this news: “Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

¹⁸ While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. ¹⁹ Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

²⁰ Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. ²¹ He said,

“I came naked from my mother’s womb,
    and I will be naked when I leave.
The Lord gave me what I had,
    and the Lord has taken it away.
Praise the name of the Lord!”

Devotion

This week, we are focusing on what the early parts of the Book of Job show us about faith in times of grief and uncertainty.  It's hard to imagine someone who lost more than Job.  In a single day he learned that all his herds had been destroyed, all his wealth was lost, and most of his servants were dead.  Worst of all, all ten of his children had died in a tragic accident.  

In the ancient world, your children and the possessions you left to them were how you ensured that your memory would live on through the ages.  Now, with nothing to pass down and no one to pass it to, it looks like Job has lived his life in vain.  Soon, there will be no one and nothing left behind to show that Job had ever lived...much less that he had been a good and righteous person who honored God in all things.   

Even though Job had lots of reasons to turn against God, he fell to the ground and worshiped the Almighty.  He didn't pretend to be okay--shaving his head and tearing all his clothing made it very clear that he was overcome by grief.   He also didn't pretend to understand why the children he loved had been taken from him.  Instead, Job stated that God had given him everything and for some reason had taken it all way.  His prayer of broken praise showed that even with all that he had lost, Job still trusted the Lord.  As the Book of Job progresses, this trust made it possible for him to ask God why all this had happened.  And through all of his anger, confusion, and despair, he kept praising the Lord.  

Job shows us that faith doesn't mean we never get hurt or angry at what life throws our way.  True faith is trusting God enough to be honest about how we feel.  We can take feelings of grief, confusion, and anger to the Almighty, because even falling before God in despairs a form of praise.  And though we may not understand why something is happening, we can trust that our good and faithful God will not leave us alone in our grief.

The faithfulness of Job is still at work in the world today.  I see it each time each time a  yet another friend who has lost someone to COVID-19 tells me about how they are turning to God for help in dealing with their pain.   I hear it in the voices of exhausted colleagues who break down in tears while we pray together.   When I feel my own trust in God beginning to slip, the faithful Jobs around me give me the inspiration taking my pain to the Almighty.

The Lord gives; and sometimes, it seems as if the Lord has decided to take away what has been given.  No matter what we encounter, we can trust that God is always here.  When times are hard and all we that we do seems to be in vain, let us take our feelings to God.  We can trust that the Almighty will hear our prayers as we fall down and praise him in the midst of our pain. 

Prayer

God, you are the giver of all good things, and we know you love us.  When it feels as if all the world has turned against us and that all our efforts have come to nothing, give us the faith to continue praising your name.  Deliver us from the time of trial and bring us to your glorious kingdom.  Amen.