CONSIDERED

This week, I attended the homegoing service of a fellow believer and the eulogist’s message inspired me to revisit the story of Job and write this blog.
The scriptures described Job as a wealthy man who was perfect and upright, shunned sin and feared God. I believe that knowing Job’s character, God used him to show Satan that there are individuals who serve Him faithfully despite the calamities that happen in their lives. Also, the scriptures reveal Satan was under the false impression that Job served God because of God’s provisional hand of favor, protection, and blessings.
As the story goes, God questioned Satan’s activity when he appeared before Him along with other angelic beings, and Satan told God he was walking up and down the earth going to and fro. At that point, God brings Job’s name into the conversation and speaks about Job’s exemplary character. Satan does not believe God and suggests if the things that Job possessed were no longer existing, Job would curse God. So, God permits Satan to attack Job, and consequently, he does so all in one day.
First, a firestorm burns up his sheep. Secondly, marauding nomads from the south and north steal his oxen, asses, and camels, and finally, a whirlwind from the east collapses the home of Job’s oldest son and kills his seven sons and three daughters who were gathered there. Additionally, all of Job’s servants were killed except one from each incident, who escaped and reported the disastrous news to Job. Upon receiving the devastating news, Job does not curse God but rather worships and blesses Him.
Meanwhile, at another angelic gathering, Job’s response motivated Satan to suggest to God that if Job’s body were physically affected by sickness, he would curse God. Thus, with God’s permission, Satan strikes Job with a terrible case of boils from head to foot, but Job remains faithful in his stance.
The omniscient God knew what Job’s response to these attacks would be, but Satan, who is a created being who only knows what he sees and hears, did not. Hence, God brought Job’s name up to Satan for consideration. Also, let me add the meaning of the word consider is to think about something seriously or carefully. God wanted Satan to pay attention to what He suggested. These tragic mishaps that God allowed in Job’s life were necessary to show Satan there was a person on the earth who would not reject God when evil befell him.
Now, could it be that God, who knows your future, knows you will always remain unswerving in allegiance to Him, knows you will always worship and praise Him no matter the circumstances, told Satan to consider you? Understand sometimes your tests, trials, hardship, pain, and sickness, with God’s permission, originate from Satan, but then, at other times, it is orchestrated by God. Why? Because you can be trusted, and God has confidence in you. You are an example to Satan and the world of a loyal servant of God. If this is you, all I can say is bravo for being considered.