20: Job Hunt

Today is a new day and I decided to drop my Oswald Chambers devotional and start with a new attitude at the book of Job. So "Job Hunt" does not refer to searching for a means of financial income. While I don't really believe that the story occurred, I have been told otherwise that this is the place to start on my new attitude towards God. What's the new attitude? It's one that seeks God with no expectation to receive rewards. I guess we start at the beginning.

¹ In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. ² He had seven sons and three daughters, ³ and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

⁴ His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵ When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's regular custom.

So besides Job having the unfortunate name that reads as our present day word for 'job,' Job was a pretty rich guy. It is hard to discern whether he became rich because he was blameless and upright, but I'm thinking that he probably was a God-fearing man before he became insanely rich. I know that owning a bunch of animals may not seem like a big deal these days, but I've learned that owning animals in those days was huge. When God blessed Abraham financially, he gave him cattle. God was nice, but it couldn't provide milk or meat. And in those days, it was all about the 'next meal,' or 'daily bread.' The passage also indicates that Job was the greatest man in all of the East. I could believe that since he did have a lot of wealth and he was right with God. Perhaps the writer was implying both material and spiritual wealth. Hmm? Something to note.

Obviously, if you are familiar with the story of Job, it carries with it a family theme. Well, minus all the death and destruction that Job must endure. But it's important to note that Job wasn't stuck up about his wealth. That he still had time for family and that his family was close. They dined all the time, according to the scripture. How cool is that? A rich family that stays humble. Do I sense good parenting?

We also learn that Job sacrifices offerings 'for the sake of the children' - a phrase popularized by Joy Kogawa in Obasan. He does this by the off chance that his kids sinned. What a guy! He is just that holy and thoughtful. So often times I've heard of stories where parents pray for their children even though their kids may not be living a Christian lifestyle. I often wonder why. Really, what good does that do? But I guess if a rich guy with everything going in his life takes the time to pray for his kids, it must be worth something. I also like how this sacrifice is a custom for Job and not just a do-it-when-things-get-bad ritual. He really does it all the time. Granted, he has the resources to do it, but we, as believers in today's world, can make similiar sacrifices. Because of Jesus, we stopped doing that ridiculous animal sacrifice thing. Instead, Jesus died and so forgiveness and salvation can be gained with no bloodshed. I'm sure PETA is thankful for that. So we can still offer up prayer for those we care about each day in hopes that they may be forgiven for their sins. It may not do anything, but it's better than nothing. And better than nothing is sometimes good enough until God steps in.