Bragging Rights

Gabriel stood near the Lord. Today, the sons of God were coming to present themselves before Him. Angels moved to and fro, from one assignment, one mission, to the next. All around the Lord's throne, there were angels flying, singing and proclaiming, "Holy. Holy. Holy."

Gabriel stood at attention, glancing all around. Something was wrong. There was a unholy presence in the presence of God.

Satan.

He was here. In the Lord's presence! How dare that fiend!

Of course, Gabriel saw that the Lord wasn't at all surprised. Slowly Satan slithered towards God, but the Lord was the first to speak. "From where have you come?"

"I've been here and there on the earth. Walking among your people." The former archangel said, his words dripping with disdain for the people God loves, his place among the earth, and for God Himself. So much hate.

"Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one else like him on the earth. He is upright, blameless, fears me, and turns away from sin."

Gabriel tensed as Satan growled, but he did not make a move as his time had not yet come. "Job fears you for no reason. You've been good to him. Too good. You've placed that hedge of protection around him, blessed the work of his hands, and provided everything he's ever needed just like that." Satan snapped for emphasis. "But stretch out your hand, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face." Satan said this gleefully, and looked at the Lord expectantly. Waiting. Always waiting to destroy.

"Behold, all that he has is in your hands. Only against him do not stretch our your hand."

Despite getting what he wanted, Satan snarled. The evil one left the presence of the Lord, looking even more angry. Gabriel chuckled. The Lord had the utmost confidence in Job. Satan wouldn't be winning this one either.

Based on Job 1:6-12

"And the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered my servant Job, that there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?'" Job 1:8

This is one of those few occasions where we get a glimpse into the throne room of God, and we get to see the "Why?" behind Job being tested so severely.

Satan comes, and God just starts bragging on Job. "My servant Job is blameless, upright, fears Me, and turns away from you. There is no one like him on the earth." That is high praise from our Creator! But Satan has a plan. He wants to break Job, and he knows that because he's been such a servant of God, that God has blessed him, and protected him. What would happen if that was taken away....

Satan says this to God, and God's response, "Behold, all that he has is in your hand, Only against him do not stretch out you hand." Job 1:12

What???

God was so confident in Job, that He let Satan do all that stuff to Job. I just can't help thinking, does God feel the same way about us? If Satan was to go to God, would God be able to brag about us? "There is no one else like her on the earth; She is unwavering in her faith to me," or, "He constantly chooses Me. He loves me like no other, and turns away from sin." Can God say those things about us? What about if the devil decides to hit us with his best shot? Would we remain faithful to God? Would God be confident of that?

"One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." Luke 16:10

Job was faithful for many, many days. When the greatest trials of his life came, he had already laid a foundation of faithfulness. Start laying a foundation of faithfulness in your own life. Stop being worried about the money-God will provide. Stop fretting about every little thing-God can handle it. Stop choosing sin, worry, fear, doubt, and all that other junk, and start choosing God.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

Above all else, trust in God with your whole heart. There may be days when it feels like your world is crashing down around you. There may be times when you feel like a weight has been tied around your ankle and you're drowning. There may be seasons when everything feels like it's going wrong. You may feel like your friends and family are judging you, blaming you. You may feel alone.

Those are the moments you grab a hold of God, and DON'T LET GO! If you hang on, God will guide you. Best of all, God can say that you remained faithful, even brag about you. Be a servant God has confidence in at all times.


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