Give Or Take - God Blesses!

GIVE OR TAKE - GOD BLESSES!

"Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?"-Job 2:10-RSV

God does evil? That's what the Bible says! God does evil!

But does that make God evil? Absolutely NOT! "For He wounds, but He binds up; He smites, but His hands heal!"-Job 6:18RV

Job kinda sums things up when he says, "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."-Job 1:21RV

When God "takes away" from us, just how (in what way) is His name blessed? It's times like those we're all tempted to "bless Him out" (as the saying goes). Well, lets look at something. Can God give without taking? Or take without giving? Oh, I mean, I guess He can ........ , but does He? I mean, is that what He wants? After all, He did make us & all. You don't suppose He made us just so's He could "take us out", do you?

No, God shows us His character, and tells us why He might do something to hurt us. In the first part of that scripture I quoted there's a preface which really should be read with the last part.

"Behold, happy is the man whom God reproves; therefore despise not the chastening of the Almighty! For (that always means "because", or "here's the reason") He wounds, but he binds up; He smites, but His hands heal".

The scripture goes on & on about how much God LOVES us! Any time we attempt to see or understand God apart from His Nature (Love), it's a little like our scrutinizing His Creation and giving no thought whatever to WHY He made it. God does nothing apart from Love - not even evil!

God's doing "evil" is a little like a loving craftsman shattering some flawed masterpiece he's just invested "years" on, and throwing the "scrap" on the recycle heap for another "try" later!

Actually, the analogy is a bit far-fetched, because God makes NO mistakes! It's as though the pot took it's final "design" into it's own hands, and left "fingerprints" of something - "other" than would reflect God!

But, make no mistake, what God makes, He Cherishes AND chastens! Why? Well, He's not finished yet! DO YOU MIND?

God bids us enter the Master's art studio and "catch" Him attentively "at work" in Job. Somewhere in the "press"-process" of Job's "becoming", Job makes a "suggestion" to God; "Why dost thou not pardon my transgression (remember, Job has no idea what that might be!) and take away my iniquity?"-Job 7:21RV

God repeatedly confirms that "in all these things (the "trials" of Job), Job sinned not with his mouth!". God's pretty proud of that! Then why?

Because God Loves Job! ("So...... ! Love me a little.....less???").

But MOST of all, God knows JOB LOVES GOD! "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in (love, or wait for) Him"-Job 13:15KJ

Can God curse without blessing - is that His intent? Everything God touches, thinks or even breathes on is "gifted" with Himself! Anything to the contrary of that must not be OF GOD. One simply has to ask why shouldn't He "take"? He, after all, IS the "giver" of all things!

And, without knowing His whole Intent (in advance, I might add), who's to say His only motive in "taking" is to "give" all the more?

We must not "touch" the Holy things of God! Such "Holy things" as His Thoughts and intentions toward us, His Precious Sheep! But can we not Trust the One we Know and Love - like Job??