Saturday, July 10, 2010

God Is In Control

"What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me." -- Job 3:25

Reading Job always makes me uncomfortable. I do it anyway. I know it's important. God wants us to learn from this book in the Bible. And I do. I have. But it's still hard sometimes.

Job was a good man. He served the Lord. And God blessed him. He had 10 children and many animals and servants. He was considered a great man.

Then Satan entered the picture. God allowed Satan to test Job. First, Job lost all his children, animals and servants. Then, Job lost his health. Through it all, Job refused to blame God. His friends, however, just knew Job had sinned greatly or God wouldn't have allowed just calamity.

Isn't that true for us? Most of us know someone who truly believes bad things only happen to people who deserve them. That's why their world is rocked by a cancer diagnosis or a sudden death or accident. They don't understand. Well, none of us do.

I do know that I can't possibly understand God's ways. I don't know why he allows bad things to happen to His people. Sure, sometimes the bad things are a direct result of our actions or the actions of someone else. Like when someone runs a red light and hits our vehicle. Or when a spouse decides to stray from what we thought was a happy marriage.

But sometimes the bad things just, well, happen. Whether it's illness, accident, broken heart, a job loss or something else, we're left shattered. And on our knees. Maybe that's the point. We never know how calamity will change us and those around us. We never know whose life might be impacted by what we are living through.

I remember my cousin talking about the time immediately after her son's death. She and her husband were at a Birmingham hospital with her Mother. A woman whose own son was ill couldn't understand how they could possibly be taking care of someone else when their own hearts were filled with grief. My cousin explained their belief that they would see their son again and the very real need to take care of the living. It also helped to stay busy and focused on something besides their heartbreak.

They never blamed God either. It happened. They found strength in God's loving arms. Maybe that's the point of Job. God is our Creator. He is our Lord and Savior. And He is our Father. He loves us. He wants good for us. If something horrible happens, there is a reason. We may not know what it is until we're in heaven but it isn't random.

The book of Job will probably always make me uncomfortable. But there is also a wonderful message too. God is in control. He knows what He's doing. And I'll be just fine in His loving arms.