“A Lifestyle of Worship”

Tuesday, April 07, 2020

BIBLE READING: Job 1-2

 “Is anyone among you suffering?” Let them turn to the book of Job and find all the answers...

We often turn to Job when things are going badly, as a last-ditch effort to salvage our faith. But what a terrible disservice we do to ourselves if we only look at Job during tough times. Job was the epitome of a righteous, godly person and we can learn so much from his life. In fact, I believe Job offers us no consolation if we don’t learn from his lifestyle of worship.

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped” (Job 1.20)

The book of Job opens with a brief but profound introduction to his life: “Job was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1.1).  How do you think this looked in his life? The following verses tell us he would continually offer sacrifices for others (Job 1.5). Job would later say, “I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust on a woman” (Job 31.1). The pattern of Job’s life was evident, so that even God took notice (see Job 1.8; 2.3). Some might have considered him extreme, but it did not concern him. Job worshiped in suffering because his life was built around worship of God and not worship of the things God had given him.

“..The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1.21)

“Shall we receive good from God and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2.10)

We often talk about worship like it's something we go to and then come back to our normal lives. But this time of isolation has shown us that worship cannot simply be done in a place with sacraments and processes. Worship must be a lifestyle that is constantly positioning us to see God. The word “worship” literally translated means to bow down or position oneself before someone greater.

Job knew God was Sovereign over all because he ordered his life to understand this reality. Especially during these times of upheaval where everything is different, we need to be sure we are positioning ourselves properly before God. That means that every moment is a moment of self-examination. It’s a moment to honor and respect and fear before God. It’s a time for us to position ourselves in such a way that we trust God more deeply. 

That’s where true contentment comes from; realizing our own inability to control our situation but resting in the hope and trust that God is God.  

To speak and think and act like Job takes maturity. It takes vulnerability to release what we want to control so badly. It takes intentionality to not look at what we have and see it as the result of our actions. The truth is, anything we have now is a gift of God’s grace.

Job’s story accentuates the deepest feelings we will experience in the face of trials and struggles in this life. But in everything he experienced the Bible says, "he did not sin or blame God" (Job 1.22). I pray the same could be said about us. And if not, I pray this time of upheaval will strip away our foundations of trust that we too will fear God and turn away from evil.

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