There are many sayings we have in this world, that sound really great, profound, even Godly, but I have found that many of them are used out of context so much, or used as excuses to act a certain way that they end up losing the true meaning.
I have decided to look at a couple of these, and try and give what I feel they should really mean, or at least what i feel God has told me they mean.
Lets start with the title. many people use this, and it comes from Job, 1:21. Naked I came from my Mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, may the name of the Lord be praised.
Many know the story of Job, but quick summary, Job was a very wealthy man, had a big and successful family. He was also called blameless and upright in the eyes of God. Satan went to God basically saying that Job was only blameless and upright because God had blessed him and protected him, but if all he had was to go away, Job would turn his back and curse God. So God allowed Satan to take away everything, except Job's own life. In the end Job stayed true to his faith, and God blessed him 2 fold, Now Job struggled mightily throughout the process and even argued with his friends about God's will. But he never cursed God.
So in reality this statement is wrong, God never took anything away from Job, I guess he no longer protected Job's earthly possessions and family. But it was really Satan who took them all away. But in the moment Job did not realize this, yet he still ended the statement with "may the name of the Lord be praised".
But today this statement is used so often in similar situations of loss. Funerals, natural disasters. and war, just to name a few. People will look at the loses those situations create, and use that statement as a way of comfort, a way of explaining the unexplainable, or even a way to justify a tragedy.
Now the story of Job, takes place in the Old Testament, and may things that happened then in some ways cannot be viewed the same as if they happened today, cause god dealt with things completely differently. in the OT he spoke directly with people, he did rain down his wrath on sinful people. God did many things, that he would never do again, after he sent his son, after Jesus came to live on earth, die for us, and rise again.
So I read it and see this.
Everything we have, has been given to us, either by God, or by Satan. God is love, and his wants us to follow him(love) and if we do, we are able to accept all he has to offer, best of all eternal life with him. Satan of course is without love. everything he gives is done to turn us away from God, turn us away from love, and keeps us away from a life with God, but instead be brought down to him in eternal damnation.
Many people struggle with their faith, cause they ask, If God is real love, then why does he allow so many bad things to happen. Why is there so much evil in the world. Well that's another long discussion, but to sum up quickly, its this. God gave us free will. If we in our free will choose to accept God's love, and live in his will, then we are able to live a life in eternity with him in love. If we use that free will to choose a life not in his will, not in his love, then we are not accepting God's love, but instead opening the door for what Satan has to offer. The exact opposite of love.
For many years when my life was not one in faith, not one in God's love, I would look at what was given to me and if I did not like it would question why I was given this. If something was taken away I would ask why. Why would God take my mother so soon, why would God give me a son with such extreme autism? And if I was given something good, I would say, hey look at what I got, Look at what I achieved. I find these actions of mine, are very common in society as well. Take credit for what we have that's good, yet blame others or God for the bad stuff.
But now when I look at what the bible is saying, I am able to see that I truly achieved nothing, God has given me all that I thought I gained. And when things where taken away, it was not God taking away, but Satan, or it was God giving me one thing by allowing another to be removed. Even some of the things put in front of me that I thought where bad, once I looked at them with eyes of God's love, and looked at them through eyes in God's will, I was able to see that they where put there so help me achieve things I could not have without them. And the things that truly where bad things. well they where put there in times I was not in God's will, I was not accepting of God's love, but instead being accepting of things opposite of God's love.
So now when something comes up in my life, and I wonder why it has been put in front of me. The first thing I try to do is ask God, what is your intention here? If whatever it is is God's will for me then he will eventually show me the why, as long I am staying in his will, and his love, and if it was not put there by God, but by Satan, then God will eventually remove it, but again I have to stay in his will. I have to stay in his love. I have to say "may the name of the Lord be praised" and cannot ever curse his name. You see Job was able to say that after all his wealth was taken away, all his children where taken away, and all the things he was given here on earth was taken away, and because he was able to say that, was able to say God's will be done, God's name be praised, he ended up being given a life that was far greater than even he could imagine. If he could say it then, I can surely say it with the little I have been through.
Here is a link to something you might have read before, but It has great meaning. Basicaaly do not curse God, but let his will be done, cause we really haveno clue.
http://davidnwalker.com/2012/03/12/conversation-with-god/
But in the end, all that is given to me here on earth good or bad, cannot compare to what is in store for me after my life here. If my life here is in God's love, then my eternal life will also be one of love. If it is the opposite of God's love, well then that is what is in store me for eternally. And I have to say, that is not very appealing, so I will try daily to make my life one of God's love.
Other common sayings I plan on reviewing are
"Respect needs to be earned before it is given".
"Treat others as you would have them treat yourself"
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