I'm going to serve you alone...no matter what. Have you ever read the book of Job? If not, it's in the Old Testament--I encourage you to read it. It's a great example of faith and perseverance. Job was a righteous man in God's eyes. He had many of those things that we seek after--family, possessions--by the world's standards he was well off too. It starts off with a conversation between God and satan. God speaks of Job's righteousness. Satan tells God that it is only because God has prospered the man and that if it were all taken away he would not be so righteous. God said ok and allowed satan to take away everything that God had but not harm the man himself. With all that he lost he did not curse God. Satan then says that if he were to harm Job then he would curse God. So God allows satan to inflict Job with horrible illness and he still does not curse God. No matter what happended to Job he did not curse God.
Job was indeed a righteous man. He cursed the day he was born but never cursed God. What an incredible display of servitude--of faithfulness to the Almighty God. It never says that Job did anything wrong to deserve what happened to him. We are tested in this life and will receive a crown of glory. James 1:3 says because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. And James 1:12 says Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Life can be hard sometimes. Friends and family members with cancer; children are born with heart defects, loved ones are taken away from us far too soon; all of these are hard to understand but in all of these circumstances we must remember God is in control and will be with us no matter what. Psalm 71:20 says, Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. We can always trust God to carry us through every difficult situation no matter what.
God gives us so many promises but he also warns us. Revelation 2:10 says Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Be sure of one thing, we KNOW that there will be pain and suffering in this life...BUT we have the joy and peace of knowing that this life is only temporary...but a blink of the eye and we will go on to receive the crown of life for eternity. In James 4:14 it says, Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. And Psalm 16:11, You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
We can be so consumed with our lives and forget God. I want to challenge you to be consumed with God first as you live out your life. At the end of this journey....don't you want to go to glory? All He asks is that you serve Him now no matter what.
