Keep Holding On

Job 1 : 13 – 22, Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house; and a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided them and took them away -- indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, another also came 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 still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!" Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And 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." In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. NKJV

…And Job held onto God. There are two very important points, which immediately come to mind concerning the horrific events that transpired in Job’s life that fateful day: God remained faithful to Job; and Job remained faithful to God. In other words, Job didn’t allow the loss of his family and his earthly possessions to cause him to stop placing his trust in God. He held on to his faith and commitment to the Lord, even though Satan had taken everything from him. 

Can you imagine the emotional pain and anguish that Job suffered after he heard the grim news about his children? Satan enjoys attacking the faith of believers in Christ. He wants to weaken and destroy our spiritual stance. He does this by exploiting the pain that we experience in response to the loss we face. We are perhaps our weakest immediately after a huge attack from the enemy has robbed us of someone or something that we have dearly loved. 

As a pastor, who has walked with believers through the loss of loved-ones, marriages, homes, and careers, I have witnessed first-hand that people tend to lose their spiritual direction afterwards. It’s almost as if they have suffered a concussion; they become dazed and just spin out of control. However, Job held on. He didn’t allow the enemy any space to rob him of his relationship with God through emotional pain. 

There are a couple more important points that we can take away from Job’s afflictions. Satan’s attack only served to prove what God had said about Job before the vicious attack against his family and belongings. God told Satan that Job was like no other person on the earth. He said that Job was BLAMELESS, UPRIGHT, one who FEARS God and SHUNS evil. God recited to Satan the Godly characteristics of Job, all of which flawlessly appeared in the furnace of his afflictions. God knew that Job would “hold on,” and he did just that.

The other point comes at the end of the nine-month ordeal of Job. God restored to Job twice as much as he lost during his fiery trial. There is a reward for those of us who, like Job, hold on to God until the end of our season of affliction. God will cause a greater blessing to come upon us and overtake us, as long as we remain faithful to God. Finally, Job’s story lets us know that nothing in this world is certain except God; and we need to remind ourselves of this truth every time Satan attacks us with loss.

Therefore, no matter what may come your way in this life, remember to hold on to God and allow Him to carry you through the difficult trials. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean to your own understanding. After all, one day this world and all that is in it will pass away. Nevertheless, God will still remain. Let’s hold on to the only One, who can keep us when everything else is gone, Jesus.

Thank God for Jesus,
Pastor Asa Dockery