Job’s
three friends came to comfort him. They were shocked at the sight they saw.
They sat and didn’t talk for seven days. Probably, they were at a loss of what
to say to Job (Job 2:11-13).
After
the seven days, Job broke the long silence and uttered his first speech. He “cursed
his day,” that is, the day of his birth. He wished he had never been born.
He wished there never had been such a day in the calendar, and then he would
not have been born. Job’s logic goes something like this: If that day never
arrived, then he would never have been born. And, if he had never been born,
then, he would not have to suffer like this. He even took it further that even
if he had been conceived in his mother’s womb, he wished he had died in his
mother’s womb or as soon as he arrived on this earth (Job 3:11). Then, he would
not have to suffer either.
Sometimes,
during your darkest moments, did you ever wish that you have never been born?
But perish the thought! Think of the joy your birth brought to your parents.
Think of the blessings you have given to others as a result of your existence.
Think of your family – your spouse and children – the joy and blessings you
have given to them because of you. Think of the church – the work you have
contributed to encourage the Christians and the souls you have taught and
brought to Christ. Because of you, they are now saved from hell fire.
Job
may be going through a rough patch in his life right now. But he has his good
old days too. Likewise for us, some days are darker than others. Some days are
better and some days are worse. But how would we know the light unless we have
experienced the darkness? Will there be a sunrise if there is no darkness in the
first place? If we want to see the sunrise, we must first settle for the
sunset.
How
are we to face stormy weather in our lives? Should we blame God like the
apostles: “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38). Jesus
rebuked them for lack of faith (Mark 4:40).
What
can sustain us, especially when we actually seem to be suffering at the very
hands of God, or at least with God seeming to look the other way? The answer is
FAITH.
What
sustained Job? It was his faith in God. It was his belief that “all things
work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28). He said: “Shall
we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job
2:20). Job trusts God to carry our His will. He may misunderstand God but he
will not doubt Him.
Was
Job right in cursing the day of his birth? He wished that day
be wiped out from the calendar (Job 3:6). I feel it was selfishness. Why?
Because many others were also born on that day. Many would have enjoyed life
and some were probably be celebrating at the time when Job was suffering. Some
genius could have been born on that same birthday as Job. There might be a
great musician, a great inventor, a great teacher, a great father or mother, a
great general or king, or a great gospel preacher. Any one of those folks could
have made a great impact on someone’s life or even on the whole world. For
example, what if Steve Job shared the same birthday as Job but that day has
been erased from the calendar? There won’t be a Steve Job and the handphone
today remains just a phone. But Steve Job revolutionised communications and in
doing so, also changed our lifestyles.
I
read this quote: “Every day may not be good, but there is something good in
every day.” After the rain, look for the rainbow. The Psalmist wrote: “This
is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it”
(Psalm 118:24).
Today
may be a bad day for you. But somewhere, someone is having a fantastic day.
There is always something good in every day, therefore, let us rejoice for
every day is God’s gift for mankind.
Jimmy Lau
Psa
119:97 Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
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