My Heart Will Choose to Say?

Job 1:21 God Gives, God Takes, God’s name be ever blessed.

We watched the video that is part of the last blog this morning at our office. If you haven’t watched it yet I suggest you do that because it will definitely impact you more than anything I am going to write here.

The video ends with the above verse. I have always found those words so challenging and at the same time inspiring. It comes from the book of Job which Neil was writing about a while back. Job utters these words after hearing of the tragedies of all his livestock being taken or killed, all his servants being killed and all his children being killed. He is beside himself. He tares his robe, shaves his head and says.

“God Gives, God Takes, God’s name be ever blessed.”

Job serves as an example of a great man of faith. The Bible follows this statement by adding “In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” Job 1:22 NIV

Job did not blame God. He Praised God.

The family in the 99 balloons video praise God. How do they do it?

I have always thought that I would hope to say “God Gives, God Takes, God’s name be ever blessed” if I am faced with some great tragedy. There was a time that I thought I would lose my daughter but it didn’t come to pass. I have never been put to the test in this way.

Many of us have told God already that we will respond in this way. We have done so by singing the Matt Redman song “Blessed Be Your Name” (2003).

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

…

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Do we really know what we are singing? These words are to an up beat tune and I know I am guilty of just letting them flow out without thinking.

None of us know exactly how we will react if or when we will be faced with tragedy. I pray that I will be able to be sinless and honorable like Job. I also pray that I am never tested. I know that many who read this will not need to wonder how they would react. Manny of you have faced these questions head on. I pray that God will comfort you. As I work in pastoral ministry I met hurting people everyday. Though I haven’t been through all of your losses and pain I find it comforting to know we serve a God who lost his own Son. Who was willing to go through that pain for us. Who became a human and lived out our suffering. He is the one who will comfort.

My time will likely come. Job’s response is an inspiring one in that it gives us an example to aspire to. Lately, though I have thought twice before singing my commitment to it flippantly.

Mark Wallace