Monday, June 11, 2007

The Sovereignty of God Pt. V (Calamity/"Evil")

The book of Job chapter one gives us an insight into the workings of God's sovereignty--behind the scenes--as Satan is permitted by God to bring calamity on Job and his house.
Satan is permitted to bring Job to poverty. He is allowed to kill Job's servants. And he is allowed to kill his seven sons and three daughters! Later he is allowed to attack Job's health.
Why did God allow this to happen? For His glory and Job's spiritual maturity. He was accounted as righteous, but we are never really quite there are we?
I realize that Satan is usually presented as being "on the run" in contemporary theology. But to be balanced on the matter let us not forget his real presence in this world.
Let me ask this question: Are we so in tune with God's sovereignty that it would not raise one ounce of prideful fur on our tails for us to consider the thought that our purpose in life could be to serve God by being one of "Job's servants" or one of "Job's children--figuratively speaking?" Could you stand the thought, and even glory in the notion, that you are to fulfil God's will in a way that is not the most pleasant to think about? Satan desires to sift us as wheat. He is a roaring lion roaming about seeking whom he may devour. And sometimes he is allowed to! Would you willing acquiesce to God's will as a victim of Satan if it will bring God glory or be beneficial to another? This is a hard concept and it cuts to the core of man's pride, laying him open to his true inner spiritual condition.
"Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil" (Job 2:10)?

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