Job 1:21



Job hearing of his loss

 Father, when we forget how precious your gifts are to us, please remind us. Amen.

Last Fall, I submitted three writing samples to a devotional magazine. Last week, I received them back in the mail. The rejection was kind. They were blessed with an abundance of writers. The editor told me that my devotions were "theologically appropriate." I just thought you'd like to see them.  This is the first one.
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Read: Job 1:121 (NSRV)



He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

and naked shall I return there; the LORD gave, and the

LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.’

Job 1:21 (NSRV)



As I sat and tried to write about Job and what he says in the above verse, my thoughts went to my family. We recently had lost my husband’s sister. Then he became ill. The previous Tuesday he underwent surgery. The hospital kept him an extra night. After two nights at home, he had to go back. The next day, he had exploratory surgery in the same area. Later, the surgeon thought she’d have to go in a third time.

Job believed what we sometimes forget. We come into the world with nothing. The Lord provides us with our wealth, possessions, family and friends. He also can take them away. We lose our wealth sometimes through no fault of our own. Our possessions wear out or break. Our loved ones and our friends sometimes move away or disease or illness takes them from us.

In spite of all these things we consider negative or hardships in our lives, Job tells us we are to praise the Lord. We learn to do this because we know God will walk through the tough times with us and will be with us.