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©Jeanne E Webster

Job 1:13-22 KJV And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house and there came a messenger unto Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the asses were feeding beside them.  And the Sabeans fell upon them and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”

While he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, “The fire of God is fallen from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them; and I only am escaped to tell thee.”

While he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, “The Chaldeans made out three bands and fell upon the camels and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”

While he was yet speaking there came also another and said, “Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, and, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men and they are dead, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”

Then Job arose and rent his mantle and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshipped and said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb and naked shall I return thither.  The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; and blessed be the name of the Lord.  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

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Just thinking…

What a blessed life we live.  Regard the comforts at our disposal:  homes, food, transportation, jobs, health, safety and more.  What would we do if one day, while we were yet speaking, yet breathing, yet eating, yet texting on our cell phones, yet watching our favorite TV shows…

A phone call, a knock at the door, a messenger comes, and… our whole world collapses. So sudden, so horrendous, so devastating… as did the world of Job’s.

We’d tear our clothes, pull out our hair and say, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.”  Or would we?  Would we have the grit within us to say this, much less believe it?  Or would our first words be, “Oh, my God, why me?!”

Folks, we could lose all that we have, in one day.  With the world situation as it is, with extreme weather patterns, with close proximity to living on the cusp of imminent dangers, all could be gone in a matter of minutes.  Ask survivors of the recent tornadoes that came through the south and Midwest, survivors of ravenous forest fires, mudslides, and floods scattered from the north to the south.  All is gone for these people.  They have to start over.  Like Job, most of them are, frankly, just thankful to be alive.

Yes, and we pray for them and beg God’s blessings upon their dire situations, to return to them some semblance of normalcy.  Even a scrap of an old photograph found under the pile of debris is treasured, and God is thanked profusely.

My thoughts are…why does it take horrific events to remind us of the truly wondrous gifts from God who delivers to us life and all that entails each and every single day?  Does God have to shout to get our attention?

Do you hear Him now?

I am going to try to be a much better listener.  Why?  My heart demands it.

Shalom