Blessed Be the Name of the Lord

Readings:
Job 1
Romans 16:1-16

Focus:
Job 1:21: "Naked I came from the womb, naked I shall return whence I came. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

The ancient Hebrew, Job, had amassed many riches, but he lost them all in one day. Yet he knew that things that we love, such as material wealth, family members, or good health, are uncertain. We are not assured of their permanence with us.

Moreover, God alone knows whether or not the presence of these loved people and things in our lives is good for us. He may have some purpose that we are not aware of, and we may lose the things we love, without knowing that we are heading toward some greater good without those things.

Or, because, through the free will of humankind, we have allowed sin into the world, and creation has become broken, some evil takes some good things away from us. But God will work to turn the result of the evil to our good, even though we have lost what we loved. I know that I have found this to be true as I have experienced both cancer and serious heart problems.

In all of these circumstances, God remains good. Job was wise enough to know this. When we are beset with loss and hardship, may we have the trust nonetheless to say with Job, "Blessed be the name of the Lord."