James 5: 10 – 11 “Brothers, as an example of patience in affliction, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. “
In the Bible, Job is the book that comes just before the book of Psalms. Some people believe that the story might be at least 4,000 years old. When Job’s story starts out, Job is a very wealthy man who also fears and worships God. Satan and God even have a discussion about Job, and Satan claims that if God will strip Job of his wealth, his family, his reputation, and his health, that Job will turn his back on God. In the course of time, Job loses everything, including all his children, his wealth, and his health. Job’s wife even encourages him to “curse God and die.” (Job 2:9)
To make things even worse, several of Job’s friends show up. In the beginning, it appears that these men sympathize with Job, but it soon becomes evident that they are certain Job must be harboring secret sins. One after the other, these erstwhile friends bring increasingly worse guesses as to the sins Job must have committed to bring on such punishment. These accusations are so scathing that for years, those who are supposed to comfort but who only condemn have been referred to as “Job’s comforters.”
Job, meanwhile, attempts to defend himself; these accusations are false and ridiculous! Job would never even consider doing any of the things his friends have been mentioning. But Job has a problem: he wants a face – to – face encounter with God so that he can get God to explain why he (Job) is suffering unjustly. Job feels that God OWES him an explanation! In the end, Job gets his wish; in fact, when God shows up, Job realizes that God is truly sovereign and that he is only a man. Finally, Job says, “My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You. Therefore I retract my words, and I repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5- 6)
The story has a happy ending. God rebukes Job’s non – friends who had said such terrible things and orders them to ask Job to intercede for them. God honors Job because no matter how bad things got, Job always spoke about God accurately and always honored God, even in the depths of his suffering. After Job prays for his friends, God doubles Job’s former wealth and gives him 7 sons and 3 gorgeous daughters. All of Job’s family members, who have been noticeable by their absence during Job’s ordeal, suddenly turn up and give him rich gifts. And the story ends by saying that Job lived a long and happy life and saw his children and their children down to the fourth generation.
Sixty – eight years ago, we had a family tragedy. One of my aunts woke up paralyzed from the neck down with polio and remained that way for twelve years until she died. At the time, my cousins were 12, 9, and 6. Suddenly this family was forced to cope with enormous challenges and my uncle and his children suffered right along with my aunt. One thing all of my cousins agreed on was that their father behaved like an angel. Rather than give in to self – pity, my uncle rallied the family and was their mainstay, giving encouragement when he himself was probably in the depths of despair. Even today nearly sixty years after my uncle’s death, his children still remember the wonderful example of cheerfulness in the face of suffering set by their father. The example set by my uncle continues to bless his children today.
Today we have families who are struggling with the threat of COVID or its aftermaths. Nobody asks for these tragedies! But in the midst of suffering, God is still there, still full of compassion and mercy. And God can and will bless, even in the midst of suffering.
PRAYER: Father God, we do not understand why suffering is necessary, but we thank you that in the midst of suffering, you are there. We thank you that there is no valley so deep, no river so wide, no night so dark, that you are not with us. We lift up all those who are suffering with any health problem and ask that you comfort them, strengthen them, encourage them, and keep them in your tender care. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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