JOB 1:20-22 – Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

THEME OF THE DAY. WITH OPEN PALMS. So, let’s put ourselves in this situation. Let’s say that our lives were going along well. We are enjoying a steady source of income. Our investments are safe and giving us good returns. Our family is prospering. Material things abound. Our health is good. The so called “good life” is upon us and we are content. Then, wham! Within a few days, maybe a week or two, we lose everything – our worldly security, money, property, all our children, and our health. From the “good” life to a life of total devastation and we don’t know why.

Sounds horrific doesn’t it? It would be for any of us. And it was for a man in the Old Testament – Job. All this and more happened to this godly man, yes, godly man. Here are the details – Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you” (Job 1:13-19).

The lesson we want to take away today is responding to loss in this life whether it be worldly security, family members, or health. And the model is Job. It is hard to fathom the depth of loss this man of God endured. What is harder still is that none of his loss was due to sin. And what is the hardest of all things is this came from the hand of God through His instrument – Satan. How did Job respond? Settle into the scripture of the day. We see this man displaying “gutsy faith” and a level of submission to God that is amazing. Job knew God was sovereign – absolutely. His life and all that was in his life, to include his family, belonged to Him. The pain of loss was real, but what he lost was not his to keep. And this is the lesson to learn from Job. We own nothing or no one so don’t cling to them but hold them with open palms. All things belong to God and He may choose to do what He will with His own. And what He chooses is always good. Faith must believe this. Job believed this and his submission revealed his faith was genuine.

Remember to hold all things and people in our lives with open palms. They all belong to the Lord. Enjoy them but entrust them to Him to do with as He chooses. And His ways are always good and trustworthy, even when what He is doing doesn’t make sense to us.

PRAYER: “Father, forgive me when I fail to respond to Your sovereignty in all things with glad submission.”

QUOTE: “Do you praise the Lord equally when life is hard and confusing as when it is easy and makes sense?”