Giving and Taking
Accepting God’s Way
I am beginning to realize that God gives, and God takes away and both are a gift.
I recently read the Book of Job which is a story in the Bible detailing the events of one of the many ways God tests Man and their faith. This story is particularly special because of how the events play out.
In the story, Job was a good, God-fearing man. He was blessed with everything a man could need and more. He exhibited all the wise traits to handle these gifts from God.
He had a good family, tons of goats and oxen (which is the equivalent of Lamborghinis in today’s world) and was respected among his community.
God was bragging of just how pleased he was with Job when Satan appeared.
Satan believed it was easy for Job to be a good man. God gave him everything he wanted like a golden child. Why would he be disobedient when he’s always been rewarded for his good behavior?
God agrees to Satan's challenge and permits him to take away all of his earthly possessions, but not his health.
Have you ever had one of those days?
Soon after, word gets back to Job that all of his livestock ran off, then his farmland and servants catch on fire, then his children get murdered, then his house gets blown over by a whirlwind…
‘The Lord gave me what I had,
and the Lord has taken away!
Praise the name of the Lord!’
Job’s faith was tested, and he succeeded! He passed the test.
But as Satan is never content, he revisits God. This time stating that surely a man losing his life will go against God. For man treasures his life more than his faith.
God allows Satan to test him once more, this time revoking his health. Rendering him completely lame and in constant pain. All of life's pleasures and blessings has been taken from Job at this point. It hurts him just to breath.
Now his own wife says that God has abandoned him.
‘Curse God and die! ‘
Yet our dear protagonist prevails! He in fact does not give up faith. This brings joy to God, but the misery does begin to grow in Job.
Though his faith never trembles, he does want to know WHY? Why me?
Bringing His Case Before God
There was no justice in God’s taking. Job could not see the benefit in God taking away absolutely everything. Why must he live in this much pain and misery? What could possibly be the benefit?
Many of us have been in a similar situation. Whether it’s been a break up, loss of a loved one, or perhaps our own sickness. The battle with God can be intense. The answer we all find ourselves asking in these troubling moments is ‘Why?’
Why?
- Why do good things happen to bad people?
- Why do bad things happen to good people?
- Why have you done this to me God? Have I not lived by your way?
The Book of Job gives us a sneak peek into God’s world. God answers his pleas for help. His pleas for justice. In a sense, God justifies his own actions.
God’s answer was cryptic yet elegant. Jagged like a knife yet full of vivid imagery.
He speaks to Job like a loving father reminding his son that he still has a lot to learn about this life. However, God reminds us that we have a lot to unlearn.
‘Where were you when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveyed lines… Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb…’
We will never understand God’s way entirely and completely because we are not infinite, and we did not create the universe.
Simply put,
We did not make the rules, we simply live within them.
Sometimes God will take away because we weren't ready. For some reason we were permitted to have a taste, but in the heat of it all we got too excited for that certain gift. We put too much focus on it. We wanted it too much and it veered our focus away from God.
And yet other times this gift will be taken away simply just because. For absolutely no reason at all.
In this life we will win and lose. In this life we will find peace and experience suffering. In this life we will receive and sometimes, it will be taken away.
It’s best to remember that all of these are a gift and to treat them as such.
