Job: A man that trusted God…

Trust is defined by Webster as: “1. Assured resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship, or other sound principle, of another person; confidence; reliance; reliance. Credit given; especially, delivery of property or merchandise in reliance upon future payment; exchange without immediate receipt of an equivalent; as, to sell or buy goods on trust. 3. Assured anticipation; dependence upon something future or contingent, as if present or actual; hope; belief” (emphasis mine). It should be able to be said by each Christian, that they are able to trust in (have confidence in) God.

Christians should be able to trust in God in all areas of life but, sadly, this is not so.

There are sometimes when the child of God may question God or may have moments of temptation and be drawn away from God through the temptation. There are other times when our trust in God is something that is as if it were second nature to us. Regardless of what is going on in our lives, we should be able to trust (have confidence) in God. James 5:11 speaks of the endurance of the Christian, and makes reference to Job, and his patience, but what can we learn from Job about trusting in God?

As we read the first five verses of chapter one we are introduced to Job. Job is said to be a father of seven sons and three daughters, and owned thousands of animals, and had “a very great household” (1:3). It is said of Job that he was “the greatest of all the men of the east” (1:3). Job was a man of great health, wealth, and notoriety, but more importantly, Job was a man that trusted in God. “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil” (Job 1:1).

Job was one that was upright, fearing God and hating evil, unlike many of the world's

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‘Minute with the Minister’

By Jeremy Thornton JEREMY THORNTON (cont.)

wealthy people that we may think of today. Job was also one that worshiped God (1:5), making sacrifices for his children.

It is clearly seen by the description of Job in the first verse that Job trusted in God when things were “easy.”

Job is not the man that we all speak of because of how he trusted in God while he was living the “good life,” but rather because he trusted in God during a very difficult time in his life. No sooner than we are told of a man that fears God and hates evil, we read of Satan's discussion with God about Job and we all know the rest of the story (sadly, Job did not), but Job's trusting in God would soon come to the test. One servant at a time comes to Job to report to him that he lost his oxen, sheep, servants,

his house (1:13-19). Not many people ever face a loss like this, in their lifetime. Job, within a matter of a few moments, goes from the greatest man in all the east to having nothing.

It is in this moment that Job proves himself to be one that trusts in God with one simple, yet profound statement: “And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21).

The grieving process is a difficult one, causing some to fall away, some will begin to question God, others may begin to act in ways they have never acted before. Job was a man that was grieving on multiple levels, namely the loss of his children, but also the loss of everything he had.

His wife would add to his grief telling him to “curse God and die” (2:9) after being stricken with boils, and his friends (so-called) would come to his aid and one by one take their shots at Job, but Job would continue to trust God.

I am reminded of stories of Black Thursday, Oct. 24, 1929. It was said of that day that men on Wall Street in New York had to stand in line to find a window to jump out of, and that the spectators were selling for bodies in the East River all because of the tremendous loss that took place in the stock markets that day.

These men trusted in the riches and wealth they had accumulated and when the hope of a future was quickly removed, they had nothing in which to trust. When Job's trials began, he proved himself to be one that trusted in God (1:21).

Throughout his conversations with his friends, he proved his trust in God. Job trusted in life after death: “If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.”. (Job 14:14), Job trusted in God no matter what happened to him: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.”(Job 13:15), and Job trusted that the Redeemer lives: “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:” (Job 19:25).

We do have the rest of the story and know of the blessings Job received, but we may all be blessed if we look to Job as an example of how to trust in God, no matter what happens. Trust that God will take care of us (Job 13:15), trust God will carry us from this life to the next (Job 14:14), but most importantly trust that God has provided a Redeemer, which is Christ (Job 19:25). Trust God will take care of you, obey His commands (Hear, Believe, Confess, Repent, and Be Baptized), and have the same confidence as Job. “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” James 5:11.