The Bible in a Year:  Day 302

Read Job 38:1-20

If you know the story of Job, you know that the devil is hard at work in trying to turn Job against God.  The devil takes Job’s family, health, and possessions.  The reason the devil is after Job is because Job is a righteous man and loves God with all his heart, soul, and mind.  The devil thinks that if he takes everything away from him, Job will turn away from God.

However, Job never flinches.  He never strays from his love for God.  His friends try to blame all his misfortune on Job by telling him that he must have done something wrong and now he is being punished.  But, Job doesn’t believe that he has done anything wrong.  And, so he stands firm in his love for God – even though he has lost everything! – His loved ones, his children, his spouse, all of his possessions, and his health.  He watched it all be ripped out from underneath him.  But, his love and faith for God stays intact – His hope for a better tomorrow never weakens or is swayed.  

I feel a little like Job today, even though I have not lost my family, possessions or my health.  However, I do feel like the devil is hard at work in our lives.  The devil wants us to give into the fact that Jesus loves this world and all who live in it.  The devil wants us to give up on our faith and our love for Jesus Christ.  If we look around at the world right now, we can know that the devil is hard at work! 

However, so is our Lord hard at work!  I live in the south and currently the weather is beautiful here.  I can walk outside and find hope and know God’s presence is among us in the midst of the virus, death, and fear!  I can open my computer and see the creativity of every congregation coming together virtually to find hope in our Lord – to worship Him and give Him thanks for the lives we have in Him and through Him!  I find hope because I know my Lord and Savior.  I know that He loves me and He loves you, regardless of the storms we face and the circumstances that scare us to death!  

If you read the whole story of Job, you know that God never leaves him.  He is with him the entire time the devil is working to pull Job away from God.  God has never left us either. He is here!  He is with us even in the midst of the devil working hard to pull us away from our Lord.  Hang on!  Pray!  Feel God’s presence in your life.  Hope is right around the corner!

Let us pray…Gracious God, the days are hard and long as the numbers continue to grow of those who are infected with the CoronaVirus and those who are now with you.  Help us to remember that you are always with us – that you have promised to never leave us or forsake us!  As we get up each morning, reveal to us Your presence and love for us.  In Your name we pray.  Amen.