As an example of the post from yesterday (“Pruning”), we have Job. Job hadn’t done anything wrong – he was “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). And yet he suffered the loss of nearly all that was important to him:
- Job was exceedingly rich and, although there is no indication that he loved his wealth or misused it, he lost everything in one day.
- Job had ten children all of whom were killed on the same day that he was financially wiped out.
- Job couldn’t even say, “Well, at least I’ve got my health.” Soon after the loss of his children and his money, Job was afflicted with painful sores from head to toe.
- The one remaining member of his immediate family, his wife, turned on him, withdrawing her support and counseling him to renounce his integrity and turn away from God.
- His friends, in the guise of comforting him, cut out from under him any semblance of remaining support when they advised Job that his troubles were clearly due to his sinful nature.
All Job had left was his life, and that he despised.
And none of this just happened. God was behind every bit of it (see 1:8-12). Why? Did God hate Job? Of course not. God loved Job and knew that Job loved God. So God said to Job, “Come up higher.” The path up higher was extremely painful (as it almost always is) and could only be travelled because Job was righteous and wanted more of God.
In the end, Job grew in his relationship with God. And God, who never forgets that we are only flesh and blood, restored Job’s family and fortunes – and then some.
- Job was exceedingly rich and, although there is no indication that he loved his wealth or misused it, he lost everything in one day.
- Job had ten children all of whom were killed on the same day that he was financially wiped out.
- Job couldn’t even say, “Well, at least I’ve got my health.” Soon after the loss of his children and his money, Job was afflicted with painful sores from head to toe.
- The one remaining member of his immediate family, his wife, turned on him, withdrawing her support and counseling him to renounce his integrity and turn away from God.
- His friends, in the guise of comforting him, cut out from under him any semblance of remaining support when they advised Job that his troubles were clearly due to his sinful nature.
All Job had left was his life, and that he despised.
And none of this just happened. God was behind every bit of it (see 1:8-12). Why? Did God hate Job? Of course not. God loved Job and knew that Job loved God. So God said to Job, “Come up higher.” The path up higher was extremely painful (as it almost always is) and could only be travelled because Job was righteous and wanted more of God.
In the end, Job grew in his relationship with God. And God, who never forgets that we are only flesh and blood, restored Job’s family and fortunes – and then some.
"Come up higher" is also why Jesus taught in parables.
ReplyDelete