BLESSED BE THE LORD -- THE LORD GIVETH AND THE LORD TAKETH AWAY - REVISITED
Ive heard "the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away" used in the context of dealing with times of tragedy, loss and grief. I've been wondering lately if this was really in the Bible or if it's just one of those quotes people incorrectly attribute as scripture. After doing a little research, I found that it's a misquote from Job 1:21. The correct quote from the King James Version is: "And [Job] 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."
March 28, 2011, Jesus and Me and the Cats blog post
When I was looking for something to use as a devotion for a mid-week service, I looked at the above post. I'm not sure that if I was in Job's place, I would be so quick to say "Blessed be the name of the LORD," Did Job believe in his heart of hearts that despite his loss and dispair that this was not the end of his story but that God more for him. By the end of 42 chapters, the LORD does replace Job's lost fortune, property and family. God doesn't give Job back his past and what he had before. Everything was new. I wonder if Job, as he looked about at his fields and new barns and his new family, " the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away, and now, the LORD has given, again. Blessed be the name of the Lord!"
Every age and stage of our our lives there is change, that strange mixture of loss and new opportunities. Sometimes, it's just the loss we can see.
We concentrate on what we've lost -- what's been left behind, relationships that have changed or what we're no longer able to do. We have this "new normal" we have to deal with, and it's not the same as the old. We're unhappy and sometimes feeling helpless and powerless, especially if the change is not what we would have chosen for ourselves.
In her book, Ten Gospel Promises for Later Life," Jane Marie Thibault shares the story of Rita, an eighty-six year old woman with no living relatives. As her ability to care for herself in her own home declined, she was forced to make the decision to move into a care facility, where she was confined to bed. She felt angry and helpless. She grieved her former, active life and her independence. As she prayed she realized God was giving her a new opportunity to be productive and fruitful -- to be the listening presence of Christ.
Having the advantage of a private room, she made sure she had a comfortable rocker and then hung a sign on her door that said, "Come in and take a load off your feet! Soon, staff, other residents, and even their family members were making visits to Rita's room, resting and chatting as they rocked. Each one left feeling rested, calmer and much loved.
The "blessed be the name of the LORD" in Job. 1:21 becomes an affirmation of our faith. Even though we may not be able to see it, where we're at, in this time and in this place, God has filled our present and our future full of opportunities to live with meaning and purpose and make a difference in the lives of those around us. God won't give us the past back, but God will give us a future with hope and the promise of God's presence and love with us.
What ever the changes in our lives may be, they come with opportunities to serve God. Blessed be the name of the LORD! What opportunities does God have for you?
March 28, 2011, Jesus and Me and the Cats blog post
When I was looking for something to use as a devotion for a mid-week service, I looked at the above post. I'm not sure that if I was in Job's place, I would be so quick to say "Blessed be the name of the LORD," Did Job believe in his heart of hearts that despite his loss and dispair that this was not the end of his story but that God more for him. By the end of 42 chapters, the LORD does replace Job's lost fortune, property and family. God doesn't give Job back his past and what he had before. Everything was new. I wonder if Job, as he looked about at his fields and new barns and his new family, " the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away, and now, the LORD has given, again. Blessed be the name of the Lord!"
Every age and stage of our our lives there is change, that strange mixture of loss and new opportunities. Sometimes, it's just the loss we can see.
We concentrate on what we've lost -- what's been left behind, relationships that have changed or what we're no longer able to do. We have this "new normal" we have to deal with, and it's not the same as the old. We're unhappy and sometimes feeling helpless and powerless, especially if the change is not what we would have chosen for ourselves.
In her book, Ten Gospel Promises for Later Life," Jane Marie Thibault shares the story of Rita, an eighty-six year old woman with no living relatives. As her ability to care for herself in her own home declined, she was forced to make the decision to move into a care facility, where she was confined to bed. She felt angry and helpless. She grieved her former, active life and her independence. As she prayed she realized God was giving her a new opportunity to be productive and fruitful -- to be the listening presence of Christ.
Having the advantage of a private room, she made sure she had a comfortable rocker and then hung a sign on her door that said, "Come in and take a load off your feet! Soon, staff, other residents, and even their family members were making visits to Rita's room, resting and chatting as they rocked. Each one left feeling rested, calmer and much loved.
The "blessed be the name of the LORD" in Job. 1:21 becomes an affirmation of our faith. Even though we may not be able to see it, where we're at, in this time and in this place, God has filled our present and our future full of opportunities to live with meaning and purpose and make a difference in the lives of those around us. God won't give us the past back, but God will give us a future with hope and the promise of God's presence and love with us.
What ever the changes in our lives may be, they come with opportunities to serve God. Blessed be the name of the LORD! What opportunities does God have for you?
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