“Work hard, and good things will come to you” is a common mantra that we hear in America. Well-meaning people often say this, but it’s not a reality for many. In scripture, we see the righteous and the unrighteous alike experiencing devastating events in their lives, often because of the sins of others. In the story of Job, he’s said to be blameless and upright, yet he goes through horrific tragedy. He loses his wife, children, health, and his land. He lost everything. He expresses immense grief by saying, “May the day I was born be wiped out. May the night be wiped away when people said, ‘A boy is born!’” (Job 3:3).
The beautiful thing about the story of Job is that near the end of the trial, he begins to see God in all his grandeur. He sees him as creator, author of life, but most importantly, as a lover of his soul — the one who provides, gives generously, and in whom true rest is found. Job went from finding resentment in his circumstances to praising God for who he is. He learned to rejoice in the character of God amidst turmoil. What can we glean from the story of Job? That godly character and godly living comes from a life lived for God and with God. Jesus has given us righteousness through his perfect sacrifice. We shed our robes of sin and shame and put on the robes of righteousness. We as believers get to live out the reality that we are seen as justified perfectly before God and adopted into the royal family because he chose and loved us, even before the foundation of the world. Why wouldn’t we live lives fully dedicated to serving God and his kingdom? Why wouldn’t we devote ourselves to serving the community around us? A life devoted to one purpose: to make his name great among the world around us. That’s a righteous and holy life worth striving for. My prayer for both you and me is that we would:
- live a holy life that points back to our savior
- stand firm in the truth of God
- remember that true blessedness isn’t found in material things, but in receiving and knowing God himself