There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. (Job 1:1). Job was a man who did everything right. He reverenced God. He avoided anything which was evil or wicked. If he did wrong, he immediately sought the forgiveness of God upon the realization of his error. He was, as the text reads, blameless. Yet, in a matter of minutes, his world was shattered.

Job received news that his herd of oxen and donkeys had been raided by a neighboring people, who took the livestock and killed all those who served Job, save one. While this lone survivor was reporting the news, another servant ran up and reported that lightening had struck and that Job's herd of sheep and all his herdsmen had perished, save one. Before this servant had finished, a third servant appeared with more bad news. A raiding party of Chaldeans had stolen all of Job's camels and murdered his servants, except for one. It is almost impossible for us to imagine what Job must have felt. In a matter of moments, to be told, that all one has worked for and accumulated is gone.

However, Job's problems had just begun. While that third servant was relating the events of the Chaldean raid, a fourth servant appeared with the most devastating news of all. All of Job's children had been killed when a windstorm caused the house that they were in to collapse.

It is beyond our comprehension to know what Job felt at that moment, unless we too have had similar experiences. Job cutbacks, family breakups, sickness, and such like can cause one's life to be quickly turned up-side-down. A child preceding its parents in death, is a devastating blow. The void created by that loss can never be completely filled. Those who have suffered so must have the same sentiments as Job. He said, "Why did I not die at birth?...Oh, that I might have my request. That God would grant me the thing that I long for! That it would please God to crush me. That He would loose His hand and cut me off!" (Job 3:11, 6:8,9). Yes, it seems, that death would be preferable to such suffering, however death did not come to Job as it most likely does not come to those who are suffering.

Next week: Job asks why and God's answer.