Most of you are familiar with the story of Job, the great Old testament Patriarch. How he, apparently very wealthy, was visited with calamity and loss, suddenly and unexpectedly. And you remember how well he responded, especially at first, to his distress!

“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.” Job 1:21

Today’s Text, today’s Lesson, part of it anyway: “THE LORD GAVE.” Then … “THE LORD HATH TAKEN AWAY.”  (Yet Job still worshipped God, not becoming bitter) “BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD!”

Now do be aware that most of the Book of Job focuses on the time period after “THE LORD TOOK AWAY” all Job’s dearest possessions (including family, all of his ten children).

So far, there’s not much “encouragement” in these lines!

But in Job chapter 42 … “THE LORD GAVE AGAIN!”

Did you hear me? “THE LORD GAVE AGAIN!”

“So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters.” As I said, Job 42:12-13.

Yes, the Lord Who had taken away … gave again!

There is the encouragement!

Dear friend, struggling over some kind of loss … it well may be in your case too … the Lord will give again!

I am reminded of a line in John 2:10, after a certain wedding party had foolishly depleted their supply of wine … and Jesus created more! “Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.” The BEST was saved until the LAST, because Jesus was present! (Keep Jesus in the middle of your problem!)

Suffering reader here today … God may have something “better” just around the corner!

A quick illustration: Elijah was supported during a long famine by a babbling book and some flying ravens! (Read here: “And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.” 1 Kings 17:6)

But soon came trouble, loss … “It came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.” Yes, Elijah in dire straits (again), his comfort now being taken away!

(The Lord gave. The Lord took away!)

But next … almost immediately … “And the word of the LORD came unto Elijah, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.” God brought a widow lady into the Prophet’s life, one that knew how to cook! You can smile, if you’d like!

I’d say … better than the raven-provided food!

So once again, characteristically … The Lord gave. Then the Lord took away (the brook dried up) … then (as usual) the Lord gave again (with the last state being better first)!

Hallelujah!

If this does not encourage us …

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell