JOB – AN EXCEPTIONAL FATHER.
There is a name that many people do not fancy and some dare not give their siblings. The name is synonymous with suffering and no one likes or enjoys suffering. That name is Job; a man from the land of UZ. Somehow someone’s name contributes to the way the person behaves. That name is an example of why bad things happen to good people. It makes life difficult to understand. Each time one poses that question to another: why do bad things happen to good people, the answer is often elusive, hidden and incomprehensible. When the Old Testament sufferer Job attempted to obtain the answer from God, he ended up repenting for his action: “Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know” [Job 42:3]. For God sake how do we explain these vague tragedies? Yet this name is the finest of name and the book, the most thrilling to read.
It makes sense when an accident happens to a reckless driver. It appears fair or justifiable if a careless and reckless sex maniac contact HIV and AID. Most time a good woman marries an unfaithful and uncaring husband and vice versa. The character of the man we learn today is a case of an exceptional man, caring husband and loving father. He was a man of impeccable character a man of integrity who was blameless and upright; feared God and shunned evil. God boasted to Satan about Job, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who feared God and shun evil.” This was God’s affirmation and not human. “……Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding” [Job 1:8; 28:28]. He pleased God in his moral and spiritual Character. Job was a good family man, happily married and a father of seven sons and three daughters. He was indeed a father who provided and protected; availed his children and friends the opportunity and privileged of gathering together for entertainment and recreation.
The biblical Job was not only considered wealthy but also successful and prosperous; was blessed with thousands of husbandries and large retinue of hard working and dutiful servants. He enjoyed affluence of power and prominence and wielded great economic influence in and around his community to the extent that the bible describes him as the greatest man among all the people of the East [Job 1:3]. His children were also blessed and prospered in the land. Job loved his household and daily early in the morning he rose up to worship God; offered sacrifices on their behalf and sanctified them, peradventure they sinned against God and cursed Him in their hearts. He was holiness conscious and always engaged in things that pleased God. In Navigating The Storms of Life, Gary Inrig opined, “Job is a pillar of moral integrity, a model of Spiritual authenticity, and a recognized and respected success.”
But one day Satan struck and Job went through catastrophes of bad and hurtful events. Suddenly everything changed and Job’s life tore apart. It was the beginning of the avalanche of troubles. Do please spare me the ugliness of not mentioning them here. However to say the least, the biblical Job went through the valley of worst happenings; loosing what He care and worked for most; a combination of terror with unimagined financial and personal losses. In a split of a second, Job was deformed from the greatest man of the East to the most desolate man on earth. He suffered diseases that afflicted painful sore all over his body. His health deteriorated and he became socially isolated.
Men and fathers, we are at a difficult time in history. In our age and time, our world and nations of the world are experiencing worst financial crises and economic depression next to Great Depression. We face the worst social injustice and economic imbalance resulting to wars and trivial disturbances everywhere. Our world has never had peace and the closer we attempt to get to it the elusive it becomes. On the other hand natural calamities have suddenly invaded our world and threatened our existence; these pose unexplainable danger to our life and earthly inhabitance. A great number of young men and fathers have lost their jobs and unable to provide for their families. Others are at war fronts fighting to keep our world at peace and from being over turned by enemies of our societies. We are at an age where our cultural and original family values are threatened and challenged; yet we suffer from the sins of not speaking up and doing nothing. We prefer to be politically sensitive and correct for the price of speaking the truth.
And yet the scripture says, Job would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of the household. The psalmist says my voice you shall hear in the morning. I will direct it to you and I will look up [Psalm 5:3]. Does that practice sound strange to our culture? It’s no doubt that some fathers know nothing about the significance of rising up early and worship God; taking charge of the morning and causing the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the ends of the earth and the wicked be shaken out of it [Job 38:12-13]. The call and practice to start every new day with its creator is not only spiritual but morally justifiable. In the morning, early in the new dawn, you lift up the name of Jesus high and every other name bow to Him.
In worship, you overturn every plan and decision of the late night meeting of the enemies against your destiny and that of your household. You kick away the influence of unfriendly friends out of your life; loose helpers, and every other tool you need for the day. You begin the day taking authority over your life, your children and household and ask for open doors and open heavens.
Highlights of Job’s character:
– Job was a father and head that had a family Alter and led his children in worship [Genesis 3:16; Ephesians 5:23].He provided and protected his family.
– He loved God first and placed a priority over his relationship with Him. He loved his wife but that had no comparison with his love for his creator. When his wife urged him to curse God and die, for his sufferings and calamities, Job rebuked her because he knew when and where to draw the line [Job 2:9-10].
– God knew Job has a heart for Him [Job 1:9] just like He trusted Abraham [Genesis 22:12]. He did not take his wealth for granted and alienated from God. Rather his wealth drove him to greater closeness and intimacy with God.
– Job loved his children: lead them in worship and train them to love God [Psalm 78:5-6; Job 1:18-22]. Jimmy Piersal opined, “He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.” Red Buttons once said, “I don’t care how poor a man is; if he has family, he’s rich.” Family is a great wealth and blessings from God. The devil knows it and tries hard to destroy it. The more reason fathers are challenged to put a hedge over it.
God calls some fathers blameless and righteous –Abraham, Zacharias, etc. It did not means, they had no errors but they knew how to return to God and ask for mercy. What would God say about you? Can God depend on you to raise your children and household rightly towards Him? Can He use fathers as vessels of change to our society and sign post of Christ. When Job heard all that befell him, he neither complained nor angered; He did not ask like Gideon: why then has all this happened to me? [Judges 6:13]; but bent down and worship God. God’s purpose is to magnify His glory while Satan’s is to defame God and deface His glory. Fathers, it’s time to return to our first love and worship God in and for everything.
Reach: Evangelist Ogbonnaya, Godswill at: weefreeministries@yahoo.com or P. O. Box 720035, Houston, Te