“Oh, that I knew where I might find Him” (Job 23:3)

Job was desperate to restore his relationship with God. Like an abandoned child, he wanted to experience the love and security of His Father. His first prayer wasn’t, “Oh, if only God would restore my children and possessions!”, or “Oh, if only God would heal my disease!” No, he groans, “Oh that I knew where I might find HIM! That I might come even to His throne!”

When bad things happen, sinners run away from God, but saints take the attitude of Christ’s disciples, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

The religious hypocrite, when afflicted by God, resents the trial, and, like a slave, runs away from the Master who scourged him; but not so the true child of God, he kisses the hand which smotes Him.

When Job’s children were killed and his possessions destroyed, he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21).

When Job’s health was gone, and he sat in ashes, scraping boils on his body, his wife said, “‘Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!’ But he said to her, ‘You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 2:9-10).

Nothing teaches us how precious our Lord is, as when we realize the emptiness of everything on Earth. In every trouble, we should first seek to realize God’s presence with us. If we know He is with us, we can bear our daily cross with a willing heart for His sake.

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