Affliction and Affection

Job, he was the all-around good guy. Classic American: successful, intelligent, rich. Oh, and holy. He was one fine specimen of manhood. In christian circles we'd probably call him "Blessed".

In one no-good-very-bad-day, all his possessions are destroyed. All his children killed. BAM! Wealth: gone. BAM! Ten children: dead.

This wasn't some schmuck who "deserves-what-he-gets."  Nope. This was the John Walton of the neighborhood. The guy up the street who only did good. Honest. True to his word. It's this guy who gets slammed with death and destruction.

So, how did he respond to such devastation? In a typical good-guy fashion.

First he stood. He admitted his affliction to others when he tore his robe and shaved his head. He did not stand, in defiance or self-pity. Ripping and shaving were outward signs of affliction. Standing demonstrated his deep distress.

Next he humbled himself under the hand of God; he fell to the ground and worshipped. He, in essence, submitted to God, yielded his own way. Bowing down demonstrated his belief that God was still Sovereign, still able to bring good, still worthy of his trust.

Prostrating himself upon the ground, he threw himself at the feet of Jesus, in affection.

Note the affection came after the affliction. You could well imagine how easy it is to demonstrate your affection for God, before such devastation. That is known as head knowledge. It can be done by rote, takes little thought. Here, Job chooses reverence, despite his heartache. He knew, with heart knowledge, that it's the bowing down in humility, in submission and worship, that mattered. He had to willingly choose to acknowledge his Lord's goodness, and His right to allow such tragedy.

Me? I'm more likely to fall to the ground sobbing in grief and stand up, in defiance and anger towards God. Bowing down in praise, is a far more difficult task, than prostrating myself in despair.

Job, somehow got it right. Devastation followed by praise, when, immediate, whole-hearted worship, becomes the companion to affliction.

"At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground and worshipped. "  Job 1:20