Uncovered

One of the things that I have been taught, whether intentionally or unintentionally, is that there is a formula or a combination that unlocks the door to life preferred. When there is a dream that I want to see come true, this teaching says all I have to do is figure out the formula, develop a plan of implementation, work the plan and the plan will work. This concept seems to be rooted in the idea that God is faithful to the faithful. But when I stop to consider his servant Job, the whole notion collapses like a house of cards.

I'm sure you know the story: Job was a really good guy. God called him "blameless and upright." He was a man who understood how to apply the fear of God in his everyday life. This was no more evident than in the way that he served his family as priest. Chapter 1 tells us Job's seven sons took turns holding huge parties. All the kids got together for extended periods of eating and drinking. When the parties were over Job would say to himself, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." So early in the morning, Job would sacrifice a burnt offering for each one of them, purifying them before the Lord. The scripture says, "This was Job's regular custom."

If there was a formula for protecting children, Job was working it faithfully. He did everything he could to ensure that they were in God's protective hands. It's safe to say that Job did his part to see that his kids were covered.

Then one day God uncovered them. He lifted the hedge of protection off of Job's wealth and his family. The chilling report came to Job from a servant who was on the scene: "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" Job 1:18-19

How did this happen? There is no indication in scripture that Job skipped a day of sacrifice. As a matter of fact, the writer takes great pains to say Job feared God so much that he wouldn't miss an opportunity to serve as priest for his family. Job had done everything he could to cover his children, but they were uncovered.

In our context today, we would have to draw one of two conclusions: Either God failed or the formula failed. IT WASN'T GOD! Job's formula failed. He worked his plan faithfully and the plan didn't work. Why?

It's not about us! God's blessing is dependent upon God's grace, not our performance. If we only experienced the blessing of God when we were getting things right then it would be a payment earned, not a blessing received. Payments are tied to performance.

Am I doing enough to be blessed? Am I praying enough? Am I giving enough? Have I read my Bible enough? Those questions put all the focus on us, and take it off of God who wants our undivided attention. God wants us to focus more on Him than our performance.

Paul confronted the Galatians about this very thing saying, "Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" You began in grace, proceed in grace!

I think we know this is true: God blesses according to His grace and plan--not our performance. The hard part is to acknowledge the caveat to be true as well. I have a hard time writing this, but we have to say that in His wisdom, goodness, mercy and justice God also witholds blessings. As Job put it, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away." There is no way around it. For reasons that we still don't understand, Job's kids were uncovered.

The good news and the bad news is this: God can bless us and use us at our best and our worst--a truth that is both liberating and terrifying.

So how do we respond? In all of our decisions, we follow His lead as spelled out in scripture. Our obedience will place us in a BLESSABLE POSITION. Having done our part, we then trust God with the rest.