09 Jun Blessed be the Name of the Lord!
When was the last time you read the book of Job? Take a look at the first two chapters again! Job went through a lot! And most of that was all in one day!
Job’s instant losses ranged from death and theft of his livestock to the most heartbreaking of all, the death of his children. Later on, he was not with painful boils from his head to his feet.
(And may I remind you, most of this was in a single day!)
Despite the shocking account of tragedies in Job chapter 1, they pale in comparison to Job’s mind-boggling response. Here’s what the Bible has to say:
“Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.”
What?!
How could one man go through so much in one day and still worship?! Was Job superhuman?!
I can assure you that Job was just like Elijah- a man like any other with like passions (James 5:17-18).
The only thing different about Job was his righteousness. He was not like anyone else because he feared God and avoided evil. That’s why he responded to tragedy with blessing God and not blaming God.
We may not go through what Job did, but we all go through something. Everyday you and I face enough discomfort we could use as a reason to “curse God and die”, according to Job’s wife (Job 2:9). But we must refuse to be reckoned among the foolish women. We must resolve not to charge God foolishly and reject ever sounding like Mrs. Job.
When Job bowed down before God upon hearing horrible news, he was demonstrating God as good and right. Job was saying God had done nothing wrong.
We too can adopt that perspective on life and wisely recognize God’s right to give and to take away. We came here naked and we will leave this world in nakedness too. (It helps to remember that!)
In all that we face ( and we do face trials!), Job shows us it is possible (and desirable) to sin not by accusing God of wrong. We can’t (and we won’t) deny our daily disappointments, trials or pain. But we can, with help of the Holy Spirit, declare in each hardship, “blessed be the name of the Lord”, just like the spiritual example of brother Job.
This reminds me of a song by Matt and Beth Redman, titled “Blessed Be Your Name”.
I’ll leave the lyrics with you:
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
Chorus:
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’ll 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
Bridge
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord blessed be Your name.
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord blessed be Your name
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
Source: Musixmatch
Yaneke Lewis is the owner of Blog for the Christian Damsel. As a wife and mother, she uses her experience to share thoughts, teachings and fun Bible quizzes to help young Christian women grow. When she’s not writing, she’s podcasting or making music!
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