June 4
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JOB’S SECOND TEST
A poem by ILMA
One day, the heavenly court came again to present themselves to the Lord
The accuser, Satan came with them and the Lord asked where he had been
He said he was patrolling the earth and watching everything that’s going on
Again, the Lord boasts to Satan about how blameless Job his servant was.
God shows Satan how Job fears God and stays away from evil despite the harm
Satan said that if his health is taken away from him, he will surely curse God
So, the Lord allowed him to test Job but ensure that Job’s life is spared
Satan left the Lord’s presence and struck Jo with boils from head to foot.
Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among ashes
His wife said “Are you still trying to keep your integrity? Curse God and die”
Job rebuked her and said that she talked like a foolish woman
He said that we should accept all things good or bad and never cursed God.
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MEMORY VERSE
Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad? So in all this, Job said nothing wrong. – Job 2:10
Read: Job 2
The second test of Job is a great insight as to how this man have learned to accept not only the good things God gives him, but the bad as well. How many of us can have this integrity and not blame God for all the challenges and adversities we go through? Can we be able to thank the Lord for the tests that we go through that are in the form of sufferings and losses? The wife of Job shows how we most humans are. We try to point our fingers on someone or something so we can dwell on the self-pity and then we get into the pit. We try to put blame on something so we can justify our lack of accountability.
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REFLECTION
• What kept Job being hopeful and positive despite losing his wealth, children and suffering physical discomfort and pain?
• Can we continue to focus on God’s goodness and wisdom when we are faced with pain and suffering?