Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. (Job 1:20)
The faithful, God-fearing Job woke up to the usual pleasant morning on the desert of Uz. By evening, the richest man in the East had lost everything, including his nine beloved adult children. Through all of this, Job remained true to God, expressing calm trust and, finally, falling prostrate on the ground in worship.
Job didn’t know that, prior to this, a meeting had taken place in Heaven. An angelic host had gathered before God at an appointed time to give account and receive orders. Among them Satan, the Adversary, presented himself to give account, also. He reported to God that he had been walking the earth observing men’s lives and trying to assess motives. The Adversary looked for weaknesses and character flaws he might exploit to the person’s downfall.
God initiated a conflict: He challenged Satan to consider his faithful servant Job. Satan denounced both Job’s faith and God’s honor claiming that Job served God faithfully only because he prospered. God allowed Satan to attack Job with his worst, knowing he would remain faithful.
On the day of calamity, Job’s day had progressed pleasantly like any other until evening. Then suddenly one after the other in rapid succession, couriers breathlessly raced in to meet Job. The first reported that enemies came and stole all Job’s oxen and asses and killed the attending servants. The second reported that fire fell from heaven and burned up all his sheep and shepherds. The third reported that enemies stole all his camels and killed the herdsmen. And the fourth reported the most tragic news: that a strong wind had collapsed the house where his seven sons and three daughters were feasting together and all died.
Solemnly, Job tore his cloak and shaved his head expressing profound grief. Then in deep humility, he fell prostrate on the ground and worshipped God. Job trusted God’s will. He said, I brought nothing into the world, and I will take nothing out. The God who gave everything had the right to take it all away.
Through it all, Job never accused God or sinned against Him. He allowed the trials to take him into deeper humility. To chisel his will and character more and more into godliness.
Christ modeled for us this same uninterrupted devotion to the glory of God the Father and to His will. Trials will come. We must meet them, empowered by the Holy Spirit, with the attitude of Christ Jesus. Thus, continuously being conformed into greater degrees of Christlikeness.
---Beverly Nickles