Job is known for his unflinching adherence to God’s faithfulness, even in the face of unimaginable disaster. Job holds fast, while nearly everything he loved is torn from him and while his friends attack him.

Above: Job with friends in 15th Century painting

Job gives us a picture into his past in Job 29:1-25. He talks about a time, before the enemy was allowed to attack:

“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me, when his lamp shone upon my head and by his light I walked through darkness! Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house, when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me, when my path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil. “When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square, the young men saw me and stepped aside and the old men rose to their feet; the chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands; the voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me “(Job 29:2-11 NIV)

Job understood the key was when “God’s intimate friendship blessed my house, when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me”. Ultimately, for each of us the blessing is an intimate relationship with the Lord and our family close.

In addition, we see a picture of Job who was highly honored. Later in Jobs discourse we see these blessings came from actions Job had taken first. We read:

“Because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him. The man who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing. I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger. I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.” (Job 29:12-17 NIV)

The word because is very important. The honor, and intimacy with the Lord was because of steps of action and obedience Job had taken. Job helped those who cried for help, those who survived death, provided justice and most importantly, clothed himself in righteousness, he was holy. All the blessings cited by Job came after obedience.

 Job believed he saw the future in his life:

“I thought, ‘I will die in my own house, my days as numerous as the grains of sand. My roots will reach to the water, and the dew will lie all night on my branches. My glory will remain fresh in me, the bow ever new in my hand.’ “Men listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel. After I had spoken, they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears. They waited for me as for showers and drank in my words as the spring rain. When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I dwelt as a king among his troops; I was like one who comforts mourners.” (Job 29:18-25 NIV)

Like Job, we may believe the future is safe, and secure. Job learned that’s not always true. The Lord allowed the enemy to crush Job, removing family, passions and his health. Through everything Job remained faithful. The Lord then restored far more then Job had in the past. We likely will walk down a different road then we expect. When we walk in righteousness as Job, we have the confidence of the Lord’s blessings.

 CEN application:

1. We need to follow Jobs example in serving in obedience before we expect a blessing. What steps is each team member taking today?
2. What steps have we taken to create intimacy with the Lord?
3. Given we can not see the future, what steps have we taken to prepare for a different path the Lord may select for us?