God’s Patient Man
A Story Based on the Book of Job
Long ago, in the land of Uz, there lived a man named Job. He was an honest and upright man who loved God and turned away from evil. God had blessed Job with a large family, many servants, great possessions and thousands of animals. He was one of the greatest men in all the East.
Yet Job valued something far more than his wealth: his relationship with God.
One day, Satan appeared before the Lord. God asked him, “Have you considered My servant Job? There is no one on earth like him. He is blameless and upright—a man who fears God and turns away from evil.”
Satan claimed that Job served God only because God had protected and prospered him.
“If You take away everything he possesses,” Satan said, “he will surely curse You.”
God permitted Satan to test Job, but He set a limit upon what Satan could do.
Soon afterward, Job was sitting peacefully at home when a frightened servant came running towards him.
“Your oxen and donkeys have been stolen,” the servant cried, “and the other servants have been killed. I alone escaped to tell you!”
Before the servant had finished speaking, another messenger arrived.
“Fire has fallen and destroyed your sheep and servants. I alone escaped to tell you!”
Then a third servant came with more terrible news.
“Enemies have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I alone escaped to tell you!”
Job could scarcely take in what he was hearing. Yet the most painful message was still to come.
A fourth servant entered and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating together when a mighty wind struck the house. It collapsed upon them, and they all died. I alone escaped to tell you.”
In one terrible day, Job lost his possessions, his servants and all his children.
His heart was broken. He tore his clothes and shaved his head as signs of mourning. Then he fell to the ground—not to curse God, but to worship Him.
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return,” Job declared. “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Even in his deepest sorrow, Job refused to turn his back upon God.
Satan later appeared before the Lord again. God pointed out that Job had remained faithful, despite everything that had happened to him.
But Satan answered, “Touch his body, and he will surely curse You.”
God permitted Satan to afflict Job, but commanded him to spare Job’s life.
Job was then covered from head to foot with painful sores. He sat among the ashes, using a broken piece of pottery to scrape his skin. His suffering became almost unbearable.
Job’s wife saw his terrible condition and said, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
But Job answered, “Shall we receive good from God, and not also accept trouble?”
Although Job was confused and deeply distressed, he still refused to curse his Creator.
Three of Job’s friends—Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar—heard about his suffering and travelled to comfort him. When they saw Job from a distance, they hardly recognised him. They began to weep, tore their clothes and sat beside him in silence for seven days and seven nights.
For a time, their silence was a comfort. But when they began to speak, their words added to Job’s suffering.
They insisted that Job must have committed some terrible sin and that God was punishing him. Job knew that he was not perfect, but he also knew that their accusations were untrue. He pleaded with them to show him compassion, yet they continued to judge him.
In the middle of his pain, Job made a wonderful declaration of faith:
“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.”
Job did not understand why God had allowed him to suffer, but he still believed that God was alive, righteous and able to save him.
At last, God spoke to Job from a whirlwind.
God did not explain every reason for Job’s suffering. Instead, He reminded Job of His unlimited wisdom and power. God spoke about the foundations of the earth, the boundaries of the sea, the stars of heaven and the many creatures He had made.
Job began to understand how little he knew compared with the Creator of all things. He humbled himself before the Lord and repented of speaking about matters he could not understand.
“I had heard of You,” Job said, “but now my eyes see You.”
God then rebuked Job’s friends because they had not spoken rightly about Him. He commanded them to offer a sacrifice and told Job to pray for them.
Although their words had wounded him, Job obeyed God and prayed for his friends. When Job prayed for those who had judged him, the Lord began to restore his life.
God gave Job twice as much as he had possessed before. His relatives and friends returned to comfort him. The Lord also blessed him with seven more sons and three more daughters.
Job lived for many years after his time of suffering. He saw his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and he died as an old man who had lived a full life.
Job’s story does not promise that every believer will receive wealth or that every earthly loss will be replaced in the same way. It teaches us that God remains worthy of our trust, even when we cannot understand what He is doing.
Job lost almost everything, but he did not lose God. His patience was tested, his heart was broken and his questions were many—but his Redeemer remained faithful.
When sorrow enters our lives, we may not receive an immediate explanation. Like Job, we may cry, grieve and ask difficult questions. Yet we can continue trusting the One who sees what we cannot see.
The darkness may hide God’s purpose, but it can never remove His presence.
GOD IS A GOOD GOD.
GOD KNOWS, GOD LOVES, GOD CARES.
Written for GeorgesWebMinistries.com
Based on the Book of Job
GOD IS A GOOD GOD
GOD KNOWS, GOD LOVES, GOD CARES
Written for Georges Web Ministries.com
Georges WebMinistries. Com
Georges Bible Ministries
George Poem .com
Gi7Minstries.com
Georges Poem.com
22 August 2016