Least becomes the Best!
Job 1:3”……this man (Job) was the greatest of all the people of the east.”
We are on 40 days of fasting starting from February 24 to April 4, join us even if it is midway!
Job, the ‘greatest’ of all the people was brought to be the least, so that he can become the ‘Best’ for the Lord! Hallelujah! Job was the greatest man, is how the Bible introduces him but all the calamities that came on him crushed him to nothing and finally he sat on the floor with a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. (Job 2:8) My heart trembles to think of such agony, though lambasted by the enemy on all sides; yet, Job worshiped God in the midst of ashes and ruin. This is actually what makes him ‘greatest man of all!’ Glory to Jesus! Fear not when you are brought low: stay put, grind your teeth and dig your heels deep, endure the heat, stop the urge to quit, cling on to God, hold your tongue, focus on God, look not at the storm – God would surely bail you out. Hurray!
After my salvation, I felt elated and radiant! Besides the joy of the miraculous birth of my son Joshua, the birth of Jesus in my heart brought that glow on my face. I was voraciously reading the Bible, learning how to pray and I was also vigorously sharing my testimony to every soul I met. I was also preparing to fly high because the book of Daniel captivated me and I felt now that I was saved, I was eligible for promotion and prosperity; least prepared for the catastrophe that was awaiting me! When I joined office after my maternity leave, bubbling with joy having met Jesus, things were no more the same in my life: my friends walked out on me, my boss stopped talking to me, my colleagues ignored me. Alas! I felt like a door mat! I thought people would be extra nice now that I have met Jesus and with my attitude changed; but the opposite happened.
Something else happened which was like being thrown from frying pan to fire: I did not see promotion or increment at all after that, I repeat at all until I finally resigned! Do you hear me? At times you got to forfeit earthly benefits for the sake of Christ! While my ministry grew in the office, my career plummeted drastically! I asked God if I was good for nothing, God was silent! It was only after several years, after I endured sufferings, betrayal, loneliness, operation, sickness and much more did God start lifting my head. Glory to Jesus!
Romans 5:3,4”…. we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope..” Fear not the fire, as long as God is in the fire with you! You would emerge unscathed! Who got to learn to stand firm and strong without going berserk when things begin to turn murky, scary and eerie! Are you listening? I’m teaching you lessons on crisis management! No book on earth can give you better teachings than the Bible! Say hurray! It’s one thing to salsa when things are rosy but it needs grit and nerve to stand calm and composed when the roof is threatening to cave in on you.
God remembered the attitude of Job, his whole-hearted worship and faithfulness in the midst of pain and finally He gave him double for all the trouble! God bless you!
