Job's Wife

 "Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God and die."

Job 2:9

I recently came across an alliterated outline I wrote back in 2008 about Job's wife.  To be honest, at that time, I had thought that Job's wife was getting a bad rap because of her hasty words but since then, God has shown me otherwise.  I also learned a little bit more about Job's friends since then; sometimes the company of friends is better than the counsel of friends. (that ought not to be)

When I first considered Job's wife, I first had to consider Job.  

    -Would a man of Job's faith and character marry such a contentious woman?

    -Or did circumstances cause his wife to become contentious?

Then I considered the fact that when our husbands go through trials, the wife will silently go through the trial as well.  In the case of Job's wife, she was not so silent.

My outline brought out these main points-

1-Job's wife was hurting: she just lost her family and furnishings

2-Job's wife was horrified, by the appearance of her husband.  She was frightened.

3-Job's wife was hasty.  She put her foot in her mouth.  (How often have I done that?)

4-She was humbled and forgiven by Job.  (Vs. 10) Job's rebuke was not to reprimand her but to remind her of God's goodness. Even in his dire condition, Job did not condemn his wife, but he comforted her.

5-Job's wife was hushed, and the conversation finished.

6-The healing begins.

We won't read it until Job chapter 42, but in the end God blesses Job with twice as much as he had before.  His family, furnishings, faith, fellowship and future were all restored back to him.

Isn't God good?

But back to my original thought:  Has Job's wife been given a bad rap from speaking such hasty words in the mist of horrifying events?

No.

You see, in the midst of our deepest trials, hardships and heartaches, the very core of our spiritual heart will be revealed:  Job's wife trusted in her treasures, and blamed God when He removed them.

Job's wife, cursed God, and chose death...

    But God tells us to Praise Him and choose life...

        But that's just me!

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against, you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:"

Deuteronomy 30:19

Ladies, when are husbands go through trials, are we a hurt, or help?

Friend, when you lose everything, will God still be enough?

Disgracing the Uniform

 "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier."  2 Timothy 2:4

The other day, my son went with me to the local Air Force Base and in order for him to be able to enter the Base, he needed a Visitor's Pass, so we stopped at Pass and I.D.  We walked in and told the soldier behind the desk that we needed a Visitor's Pass, gave him the required information for the Pass and then took seats while we waited.  What happened as we waited shocked me.  I witnessed flirtatious bantering, personal phone calls, and inappropriate behavior.  After twenty minutes of this, I walked up to the two soldiers behind the desk and calmly said, "Have we just come to play today, or are we working?" They paused for a moment and one of them said, "It takes a few minutes to get the Pass, Ma'am."  I said, "I realize that.  I'm not talking about the waiting period; I'm talking about your behavior; I have never seen such unprofessional behavior from a soldier in Uniform before."  I could see them thinking about what I just said, and then they both apologized and began to act accordingly.  

I later called my husband and told him about the incident and sadly, he said, "This generation does not follow in the steps of the Soldiers who have served before them."

As my son and I walked out of the Pass and I.D. building, this thought crossed my mind:

"Have I behaved unprofessionally in my Uniform?"

Have there been times that my behavior would shock those who are watching me?

Am I walking in the steps of my Christian brothers and sisters who have served before me?

Do I realize Whose Army I've enlisted?

Would my Saviour have to bring it to my attention?  Would Jesus have to say, 'I have never seen such unprofessional behavior from one of my children in uniform before?

Uniform you say?

Yes, our Christian Uniform.  Our testimonies, our robes of righteousness, our Armor of God.

    Do I disgrace this uniform?

        Or do I bring honor and glory to the One I wear my uniform for?

            Gave me something to think about...

                But that's just me!

"A true and faithful Christian does not make holy living an accidental thing.  It is his great concern.  As the business of the soldier is to fight, so the business of the Christian to be like Christ."  Jonathan Edwards