Everytime I read the first chapter of Job, I find something new and come away with more insight on God, Satan and myself. Take for example the tenth verse. Did you realize that like Job, God has placed a hedge around us, our families and our possessions? Have you considered that Satan is not able to break through that hedge unless God allows it?

You may have heard the subtitle given the book of Job: "Why do bad things happen to good people?" But I suggest you look closer to look beyond "bad" things and see the good things in our life. Protection, provision and power was given to Job and it has been given to us as well. Now, you can dwell on supernatural affliction if you like, but I like to think the bad stuff in my life is mostly a product of my own ignorance and stupidity rather than bad things happening in my life.

Yes, God has given us protection, provision and power, but what are we doing with our blessing? In the last chapter of the book of Job, we find the man of God praying for others and that being the pivotal point of his suffering. When he did that, God blessed him more than He did before the suffering. No doubt, faithfulness, prayer and intercession played a part in Job's life before, during and after his ordeal.

Paul wrote to the Galations urging them to serve one another and not give up. In the first chapter, we learn that many Galation believers were finding the going to be too tough and they were simply giving up. But in the last chapter, He reminded them that the reward was waiting if they would only be faithful to stay on track with what God expected of them. (Gal 1:6; 6:9-10)

Are you praying for your family and sharing the provision given you to bless the larger family of God? Job found restoration when he did it, but the reward he sought most was a renewed fellowship with the Lord. After all the suffering heaped upon Job, in the end he renewed his call to serve those around him.

I hope we'll look beyond trouble, trial and tribulation to see the lesson God is trying to teach us. There is one more thing Job did that resulted in God granting him PROTECTION, PROVISION and POWER. He PRAYED.

1. Pray Through the Word - 365 devotionals on the subject of prayer by James R. Green (Job 1; Gal 6)
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society

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