Day Two – Chapter 2

Key Verse – “In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (2:10b)

God allows the devil to afflict Job’s life to prove that Satan’s contention was false. Satan contended that once God took down his hedge of protection Job would become as pliable to Satan’s will and devices as the rest of creation. Satan now shows up again, uninvited, in the presence of the sons of God talking ‘junk’ about God’s creation, which provokes God to bring up Job again who remained faithful in spite of all Satan had done to him. It strikes me that it is worth mentioning the obvious here: Satan never stops his attacks. He is in this fight for the long haul and just because you were victorious today does not mean he will give up or give in. So Satan incites God again to allow him to attack Job’s body and God acquiesces with the proviso that his life is off limits.

The attack is so vicious that Job is in obvious excruciating pain. One only had to look at him and the boils that covered his body to realize the extent of the attack. Even his friends “raised their voices and wept” (v. 12) when they saw him because they did not recognize him. The most telling piece of this part of the story involves Job’s wife. Her reaction to Job’s plight is one mixed with anger as well as concern. She wonders how Job could possibly hold on to his integrity; how he could hold onto his trust in the state he now was in. I cannot imagine her not being angry about the loss of all their possessions, let alone their seven sons and three daughters. Inherent in her plea to her husband is her incredulity at how Job’s faithfulness would not be honored by the preservation of all he lost. Now on top of everything they have lost Job is so sick that he probably believed that he was going to die and yet still trusted in God. Listen to her plea, hear it in your spirit: “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die” (v. 9). Why continue to serve a God who would allow all of this?

The key verse in this chapter is verse 10b, “In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” Friends, we need to be careful what we speak because death and life is in the power of the tongue. Trouble and tragedy is a part of life. Certainly Job’s situation is different from our own. He was living in the days before Jesus, but because of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection the power of sin, Hell and the grave has been defeated. Still we must be careful that we do not allow the frustration over our situations or the counsel of others to distract us from faithfully serving God. Today, make a commitment to serve the Lord regardless of the challenges that come your way. Let the devil know that surrender is not an option. Let him know that come what may, you will continue to serve the Lord.

Dear Father, my life is often times so complicated. I find myself balancing so many different challenges all at the same time. I am often confused about what I endure and am tempted to grumble, complain, and even doubt your love, care and concern. Forgive me for listening to voices that would counsel me to give in and give up. Forgive me for placing time limits on your intervention and/or deliverance in my life. Help me to focus more on You than on my circumstances. Strengthen my resolve and my commitment. Enable me to walk and live more and more today by faith and not by sight, in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.