Faith & Salvation - Week 6: Tuesday

Job 1:17-22

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “Horsemen formed three bands against us, surrounded the camels, took them captive, and killed the servants with the sword. I alone have escaped to tell you!” While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine with their elder brother, and suddenly a great wind came from the desert and struck the four corners of the house; and it fell on your children, and they died; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved off the hair of his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped, saying, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. As it seemed good to the Lord, so also it came to pass. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all these things that happened, Job did not sin against the Lord or charge God with folly.

Commentary

St. John of Kronstadt | My Life in Christ
When your faith in the Lord, either during your life and prosperity, or in the time of sickness and at the moment of quitting this life, grows weak, grows dim from worldly vanity or through illness, and from the terrors and darkness of death, then look with the mental eyes of your heart upon the companies of our forefathers, the patriarchs, prophets, and righteous ones: St. Simeon, who took the Lord up in his arms, Job, Anna the Prophetess, and others; the Apostles, prelates, venerable Fathers, martyrs, the disinterested, the righteous, and all the saints. See how, both during their earthly life and at the time of their departure from this life, they unceasingly looked to God and died in the hope of the resurrection and of eternal life, and strive to imitate them. These living examples, which are so numerous, are capable of strengthening the wavering faith of every Christian in the Lord and in the future life.

Questions

• Think back to a hard time in your life. Did you turn to God or try to get through it on your own? What could you have done differently?

• What are people or practices that you can lean on to encourage you in your moments of trouble?