First Reactions
Job 1:20-22: "Then Job arose and rent his robe and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshiped. And said, Naked came I into this world from my mother's womb, and naked shall I depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord! In all this Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly."
Under pressure, the first reactions of a man often reveal who he really is inside. When things are nice, peaceful, and going our way, often we are able to project a good front. But at the first signs of significant stress or pressure, what has been carefully hidden deep in our character suddenly comes out into the open, much to our regret later. I am reminded of the countless times when I was under work stress, or when I missed the bus, or when I couldn't seem to find what I urgently needed at the moment, or when I experienced failure, or when someone or something bothered me, or the many other "pressure" moments in life. Those were the times where I found that my usual calm, composed, and patient front quickly faded away, being replaced by complaining, irritability, stubborness, negative words, and curt remarks toward loved ones. Pressure truly reveals what is in a person's heart.
Job was different. In one tragic instant, all that he had was taken away: flock, servants, even his beloved family members. How many of us have, or will ever, face such a circumstance? Yet what did he do? What was his first reaction? "He.....fell down upon the ground and worshiped." What character! What a heart set on God! Indeed as the Bible said, Job "was blameless and upright, and one who reverently feared God and abstained from and shunned evil because it was wrong." And so many of us find it so hard to worship God even in good times.
Under pressure, the first reactions of a man often reveal who he really is inside. Oh God, grant me a heart that truly fears you! Mould my heart and so transform me, that when difficult moments come again, I may be able to reveal Jesus inside of me!
Under pressure, the first reactions of a man often reveal who he really is inside. When things are nice, peaceful, and going our way, often we are able to project a good front. But at the first signs of significant stress or pressure, what has been carefully hidden deep in our character suddenly comes out into the open, much to our regret later. I am reminded of the countless times when I was under work stress, or when I missed the bus, or when I couldn't seem to find what I urgently needed at the moment, or when I experienced failure, or when someone or something bothered me, or the many other "pressure" moments in life. Those were the times where I found that my usual calm, composed, and patient front quickly faded away, being replaced by complaining, irritability, stubborness, negative words, and curt remarks toward loved ones. Pressure truly reveals what is in a person's heart.
Job was different. In one tragic instant, all that he had was taken away: flock, servants, even his beloved family members. How many of us have, or will ever, face such a circumstance? Yet what did he do? What was his first reaction? "He.....fell down upon the ground and worshiped." What character! What a heart set on God! Indeed as the Bible said, Job "was blameless and upright, and one who reverently feared God and abstained from and shunned evil because it was wrong." And so many of us find it so hard to worship God even in good times.
Under pressure, the first reactions of a man often reveal who he really is inside. Oh God, grant me a heart that truly fears you! Mould my heart and so transform me, that when difficult moments come again, I may be able to reveal Jesus inside of me!
posted by Terence | 5:00 PM
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