I hope I never forget a conversation I had with Tamasin and Henry my two oldest children last night. Already my kids know most of the bible stories well and like me can become almost too familiar with them. I suddenly realised, however that we had never told them the story of Job, however. So, reading slowly and stopping along the way to discuss it and where necessary paraphrasing the ESV version of Job 1 became their bible story last night. I began by reading: “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.”
I asked them “What do you think God would do with such a man?”. They replied as I expected them to “give him rewards”. We read the next verses about his kids, his donkeys, his oxen, his camels, his sheep, his servants. I thought to myself, certain preachers would have been very pleased with Job at this point. You trust God, he rewards you. It even says in Heb 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
If many of us are honest, we wish that the book of Job stopped at this point. Instead the writer continues to explain Job’s uprightness for a few more verses. My kids are by this point beginning to smell a rat- there has to be a catch somewhere to this story they say to themselves. So, latching onto a possible flaw in Job they say “but if he’s rich shouldnt he be giving money to the poor”. I replied to them, well the bible says here he is good, so I am sure that he cared for the poor as best he could, but obviously God doesnt always require us to give all our money away.
Then comes the Devil into the story. The kids were fascinated, they know that Satan doesnt appear in the bible that often. When the devil starts to criticise Job I ask them what they think “well, he’s trying to trick God” they reply!
The bible here records Satan’s words – Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.
The awful truth is, that regarding many, many professing Christian’s today Satan is absolutely right. When things don’t go our way, we do “curse” God. I asked the kids what they think are the most common reasons why people stop being Christians. They replied that perhaps people say “I want to see proof”. I said, that for many it is simply that something bad happens to them.
The kids were already so clear about one thing- they said something like “yes, but we live in a bad world. Bad things happen. We arent in heaven yet!”
Then we read the story of the messengers who came to Job. Each of his riches mentioned at the beginning of the story are lost in a single day. The childrens eyes were on stalks by the end of the first little cameo about the surviving servant. By the end of the last I knew they would never forget this tale. How wonderful it was to watch the impact of such a story being heard for the first time.
I read the words “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and…” and I stopped right there. I asked them- what do you think he did? Why did he fall on the ground? One of my children asked “Was it to kill himself?”
The shock of the next word is almost the biggest shock in the book. What did Job do? He worshipped.
Can you worship when things aren’t going your way? Can you thank God for being there for you when your world is falling apart? Can you say with Job Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
We spoke about the literal nature of these words my son said “Now I realise peopel saw my bottom….”
Then, after a few more minutes of talking about this, we sang Mat Redman’s song which I will end this post with. After that, Tamasin made up a game- called “give and take away” where we had a pile of objects and one of us had to either give something to the pile take it away or both whilst the others were out of the room. We then had to work out what had changed.
I live for times like that with my children. I hope they are better prepared now to deal with whatever life sends their way.
When was the last time you read Job? Do your kids know his story?
Blessed Be Your Name
by Matt Redman
album: Where Angels Fear To Tread (2002)
Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
Blessed Be Your name
When I’m found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I’ll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be Your name
When the sun’s shining down on me
When the world’s ‘all as it should be’
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I’ll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In