Job 2:1-10
Now the angels came again to present themselves before the Lord and Satan with them. "Where have you come from?" the Lord asked Satan. "From Earth, where I've been watching everything that's going on, Satan replied. "Well, have you noticed my servant Job?" the Lord asked. "He is the finest man in all the earth--a good man, who fears God and turns away from all evil. And he has kept his faith in me despite the fact that you persuaded me to let you harm him without cause." "Skin for skin, Satan replied. "A man will give anything to save his life. Touch his body with sickness and he will curse you to your face!" "Do with him as you please," the Lord replied; "only spare his life." So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with a terrible case of boils from head to foot. Then Job took a broken piece of pottery to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, "Are you still trying to be godly when God has done all this to you? Curse him and die."
Job 4:7-9
Stop and think! Have you ever known a truly good and innocent person who was punished? Experience teaches that it is those who sow sin and trouble who harvest the same. They die beneath the hand of God.
Reflection:
Again we see Satan back in front of God because his plan failed. Although he was allowed to take away Job's wealth and family, Job still praised God. So here we see Satan again asking permission to now touch Job's body in an attempt to get him to curse God. Isn't that just like Satan, to attempt to bring us down but I guess he has not figured out that when we are at our lowest that is when God truly blesses us. Let's take Job for example. If he would have listened to his wife, he would have cursed God and died, instead he took a piece of clay to scrape himself. Now he could have used anything else but the clay would give the most comfort. We could consider the text in the bible that tells us that God is the potter and we are the clay. Like a potter molds and shapes the clay to form is art, God molds and shapes us taking us from simple clay and forming his masterpiece. "Masterpiece" is an interesting word when you break down it's definition. The word Master means, a person with the ability or power to control, a person highly skilled in an art, craft, etc, a male teacher. The word Piece means, a quantity of some material forming a separate entity, an example, specimen, or instance of something, to mend by adding a piece or pieces, to make by or as if joining pieces. So when God forms a masterpiece it is a piece of himself. Job was not only receive physically comfort from the clay he was summonsing the potter to recreate the masterpiece.
When Job was in his valley experience he choose the only thing that he knew would bring him a bit of comfort, the clay. When we are going through our valley experience we can call out to the only person that will bring us comfort and that is to call upon the Potter, the Master, our Lord and Savior. In Job's valley experience he heard a word from his friends. They share with him that only those who sow sin and trouble will receive the same. Those who harvest trouble and sin will die beneath the hand of God. Did Job learn something in his valley experience? I say yes. He learned that even when everything else was taken away, when his body was wrath with pain, when it seems that there is no way out he kept his faith and his eyes toward heaven and learned that God will never leave us nor forsake us. In every low in our lives there is a lesson to be learned. We may not get it the first time but in due time and many valley experiences something will click symbolized a learning experience. So while you are in your valley experience, look for the lesson. If indeed you are like Job, a good obedient person you will not die beneath the hand of God; You will not die in the valley; you will come through with power and knowledge. When you are in the valley, grab a piece of clay and ask the Lord to rebuild his Masterpiece, then walk with the Lord.
Be Blessed and Encouraged
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