en yan hua fang

“Job: An Appointment with God, Not with Fear” ~ ✨

The Book of Job reminds me that knowing and trusting God is far more precious than understanding the reasons for suffering!

Children tirelessly ask “why,” but the older we get, the more painful this question becomes. In the eyes of the world, things operate according to cause and effect; from Job’s experiences, I see that this isn’t always the case.

When disaster struck, Job’s three friends judged his suffering based on the principle that “God blesses the righteous and brings disaster upon the sinners.” Job did not oppose this principle, but he believed he was righteous, so he couldn’t understand why he was being cursed.

Job’s initial response was: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing (Job 1:21-22). Later, when Satan attacked Job’s body, his wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” But Job replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” At this point, Scripture records that in all this, Job did not sin in what he said (Job 2:9-10).

The Job I see here remains quiet and patient; yet I also notice a difference in the description here compared to before. When calamity first struck Job’s wealth, servants, and children, “in all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” But when he was covered with painful sores, Scripture says “Job did not sin in what he said.” What is the difference between “not sin” and “not sin in what he said”? While enduring extreme mental and physical agony, and unclear about the reason for his suffering, perhaps Job began questioning God “why” in his heart. When Job began to curse the day of his birth and later debated with his three friends, the thoughts of his heart escaped through his lips!

Job’s wealth and happiness were the envy of many, yet they became the basis for Satan’s accusation. When great disaster struck, seeing the turmoil Job experienced, how many would still envy him? Job’s three friends did not truly understand him; only Elihu’s unique perspective had a settling effect on Job. Until God Himself spoke to Job, causing him to exclaim: “My ears have heard of you, but now my eyes see you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6). I wonder, in Job’s generation, or even in our present generation, who has received a greater blessing than Job? I do not envy Job’s earthly wealth and happy family; I envy the blessing he received after this ordeal – moving from merely having heard of God with his ears to now seeing Him with his eyes!

In this era of the metaverse, many people have lost patience with everything, not realizing that this very impatience often continuously supplies oxygen to their suffering. Our mouths say we must wait for God’s timing, yet our hearts constantly struggle and question God, asking why He hasn’t yet answered our prayer requests. Those who desire immediate gratification but wait in vain, or who cannot bear to lose what they have, often intensify their suffering due to a lack of patience. What is the underlying force that enables someone to persevere to the end?

I believe that if Job had been able to endure perfectly to the end, he would have been not just blameless, but perfect before God! Unfortunately, in this world, besides the Son of Man, Jesus, who can be flawless? Jesus was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth (Isaiah 53:7). The cross is the symbol of suffering. Jesus on the cross said, “It is finished!” Job is also a symbol of suffering, and many believers take him as a model. Thanks be to God, although Job was not perfect, the fact that he endured the sudden, crushing shocks and blows was due to God’s mercy and love preserving him. This is the point of the reference in James 5:11 – the outcome the Lord gave Job clearly shows that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

My hope is that among the readers, if there are those who are quickest to ask “why” in minor adversities, or who cannot endure to the end, might, inspired by the Book of Job, see an extremely important truth: the necessity to “know God”; to know God through building an intimate relationship with Him. From fearing to reverently loving, and from reverently loving to trusting; trust is the foundation for a believer’s lifelong loyalty and obedience to God. We have a covenant with God, not with fear. Fearing God does not mean we are afraid of Him; it means our relationship with Him is firmly established in love.

Job moved from fearing God to reverently loving Him. We love Him knowing that the Lord Jesus Christ has revealed God’s love. The Lord often said, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” (Mark 5:36; Luke 8:50). Insufficient faith leads to fear; those lacking in faith have not yet truly seen God. If we see God with our eyes, we will fear no more! May we all remember the words of the Lord Jesus (Matthew 10:28): “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” And may we put them into practice, finding our place in His promises.

I conclude with this poem👇🏻

“Firmly Grounded, Well-Positioned” ✨

Man proposes, God disposes

What seems nine-tenths assured, slips away through a finger’s crack

A spot of black taints the white

A speck of white cannot cleanse the black

Black leads one astray

White draws one towards hope

For evil to overcome good is easy

For human nature is bent towards evil

For good to overcome evil is hard

For the small must not be lost for the great

Know the One who is greater than evil

And you will be “firmly grounded, well-positioned”

✨✨ 💖 ~