JOB 1:21

In the passage, it must be noted that it is God, the supreme Being, who initiated the conversation about Job. We observe God’s sense of pride in Job. As we honor God, it is my strong belief that He honors us. God is much pleased about the right living Christians and is not ashamed about having blessed and prospered us.

It can also be inferred from an in-depth study of the book of Job that we will not only be blessed with material things, but we shall also be tested, sometimes severely tested. The book of Job eloquently speaks about the trials of a sanctified man. Being righteous is no guarantee that you will be shielded from trials and adverse circumstances. On the contrary, you too will also be sorely tested and tried. To state it somewhat positively, you will be blessed with trials. The song reminds us that our trials come to make us strong. It states, “If I never had a problem, I’d never know that God could solve them, I’d never know what faith in God could do.”

Directly confronting the enemy God said “Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” (Job 1:8). The Almighty seems not to hesitate about eulogizing and promoting his servant Job, speaking not so much about his material wealth and possessions as much as He was highlighting his moral integrity and his unswerving commitment to living an exemplary life of godliness and righteousness.

Though inestimably rich, it is made unmistakably clear that Job is first truly committed to God and entirely consecrated to serving God in earnestness – no strings attached! Job is so materially blessed and well off that he is depicted as the greatest of all the men of the East (Job 1: 3). As the scene opens up, it is interesting to note, however, that the first thing we are told about Job is his spirituality. May the God we serve, always help us to keep this salient thought in mind – our relationship with Him, our spirituality, is what matters first and foremost. The ultimate message of the book of Job is not about his wealth, his health, his social standing, nor his economic prominence, but about his consecration, his unfaltering, unswerving, unreserved consecration to our sovereign Lord.

It is sobering to think that the wealth, the riches, the prosperity, the power never got to his head. What a lesson for us! As riches increased, Job seemed never to forget from whence the blessings came. So often today, we are deceived with going after the blessings while we so unwisely forget to worship and at every turn acknowledge the Blesser. Instead of becoming vain and pompous, it was the more religious and pious Job became. The sovereign God knew He could, without a doubt, trust Job. In adversity, we are just as faithful as when all is well and everything is intact. He gives and takes away, and we yet declare “… Blessed be the name of the Lord.” We serve Him and love Him no matter what! No strings attached!