HAVE YOU CONSIDERED MY SERVANT?

There is a part of Christianity that is, indeed, warm, fuzzy, exciting and incredibly wonderful! For example, have you ever been present when someone was being born into the Kingdom of God? Have you ever seen the power of prayer bring healing to someone you knew and loved? Have you ever been overcome with the excitement and warmth of The Presence of the Holy Spirit? Have you ever attended the ordination of one called by God into the ministry?
I could go on and on; but, suffice it to say that there is that part of Christianity that is warm, fuzzy, incredibly exciting, and outrageously wonderful! However, Christianity has another side that most of us do not like to face—one that is far removed from warm, fuzzy, excitement. Although, I realize that in all probability Job did not know Jesus by name, I think you can see this side of Christianity in God’s dialogue with Satan when He asked him this question: Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth? “And the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil” (Job 1:8).
Had you not read the rest of the story, you might think that God was recommending Job for a job promotion with Satan; however, that was not the case because Job was not an employee of Satan! No! God’s question for Job has a way of bringing into focus the truth that most of us don’t want to face, namely, this: Christianity is not what we think it is! It is a far cry from the whitewashed, prosperity-if-you-believe, apple-pie-in-the-sky, no-problems-religion that most of us have been taught that it is!
Just prior to our text verse, we read this: “And the Lord said to Satan, ‘From where do you come?’ Then Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it’” (vs. 7). Let me ask you this: Why does Satan roam around on the earth? He does so because He is seeking someone to devour. Remember 1 Peter 5:8: “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
With that in mind, it is not too difficult to see what Satan was about in his dialogue with God. Interestingly, however, God apparently assisted him in his search! His words were unmistakably these: “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth!” In other words, God was saying, “If you can get him you to come over to your side, you will have accomplished something huge—really huge!”
Now, let’s be honest: This doesn’t sound like the God we know! Let me say it this way: we hope this isn’t the God we know! The last thing we want to think that God might do is to invite Satan, in his search for someone to devour, to consider one of us. However, it is God (the Father of our Lord, Jesus!) and He did speak these words to Satan: “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth” (1:8) and He spoke them knowing full well what Satan was about!
He also knew something else! He knew what He was about in Job, and He knew that Satan was under His control! He had a very clear purpose in mind and He was in complete charge!
Now, having said all of that, there are several truths that must come into focus or none of us will be able to handle this text! Without them, I cannot imagine anyone even approaching this text without so much fear and anxiety that they would run from it! Yes! There is a piece of it that sounds exciting: “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth!” That might well be the highest compliment God ever paid anyone; however, when you realize what Job is being considered for, without the following truths firmly implanted, this passage is very, very hard! (Even then, it is no “walk in the park!”)
First – The sufferings of this present time are not worth being compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us! Listen to the words of Paul: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).
The question seems to be this: Are the blessings of heaven really going to be worth the sufferings on earth that being a Christian brings? At least for Paul, the answer is a resounding – YES! No comparison! The glory that is to be revealed to us when we get home will be so incredibly wonderful that we won’t even have the thought, much less, raise the question.
Now, look with me at 1 Peter 1:6: “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials.” Greatly rejoice in what? The blessings of heaven, of course! Look at verses 3-5: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
What is our living hope; rather, who is our living hope? Jesus and all that He has prepared for His elect! Unless you really believe that the “sufferings of this present time” are nothing in comparison to the glory that is to be revealed in us, you will approach this text with so much anxiety and fear that you will run from it. Let me say it this way: You will never personalize it, as you do so many other passages!
Allow me to bring this home: today Satan is roaming about seeking someone to devour! He has not changed, neither has God! Are you prepared for God to assist Satan in his search, and this time to pick YOU out of the crowd for Satan to consider?
Second – It is much better to die and be with Christ than to continue on in this earthsuit, but it is to the advantage of others that we continue here! I know that that sounds a bit morbid; however, it is true because Paul said it: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake” (Philippians 1:21-24).
There can be no mistaking what he said: It would be much better to physically die and be with Christ than to continue on in this earthsuit. We have a hope that does not and will not disappoint us! In my opinion, this is why Paul could say some of the other things he said. For example: “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (2 Corinthians 4:7-11). Unless this is firmly planted in you, our text will leave you filled with so much anxiety and fear that you will run from it!
Third – Suffering because you are a Christian, is a privilege and a blessing—a thing of grace—not an act of divine punishment! Paul also said this: “For you have been granted the privilege for Christ’s sake not only to believe in Him but also to suffer in His behalf” (Philippians 1:29; Amp).
Look with me at 2 Timothy 1:8-12: “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know in whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”
We simply cannot get around the fact that for Paul suffering was a privilege and a blessing—a thing of grace—and so it is for you and me! Why? It is because when we suffer because we are His, we are being identified with Him.
Maybe this will help you see it: “And they took his advice, and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them to speak no more in the name of Jesus, and then released them. So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41). Again, unless this truth is firmly rooted in your life and mind, our text will leave you so filled with anxiety and fear that you will run from it!
Fourth – Suffering is not without divine purpose! Again, Paul probably said it best in Romans 5:3-5: “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
In Philippians 1:6-7 Paul said this: “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel you all are partakers of grace with me.”
Suffering because we are His is never without divine purpose! God never finds Himself surprised in our suffering – never! No Christian ever suffers outside the parameters of God’s prescribed purpose!
If you cannot see this in the life of Paul, then certainly you can see it in the life of Jesus: His suffering was not without divine purpose. Neither is yours! Unless this is firmly planted in your heart and mind, our text will arouse such anxiety and fear that you will certainly run from it!
Fifth – It is through suffering that we learn obedience! This, too, might be a bit frightening; however, it is true! Believe it or not, it was also true for Jesus. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews said this: “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8).
The problem with this is that most Christians believe that suffering is the result of their disobedience; however, Jesus was NOT disobedient—even so, He learned obedience from the things He suffered, and, I might add, so do we!
Let’s look at the next verse (9): “And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation. This is even more frightening! He became to those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation!” What is it that we have been asked to obey? The Ten Commandments? Yes! But we have all miserably failed! What then? Job was a righteous man who feared God and hated evil, yet he suffered!
Look at Hebrews 4:9-11: “There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience.”
What is the obedience? It is this: Believing that Jesus is enough! Unless this is fixed in your mind, our text will leave you with such anxiety and fear that you will certainly run from it!
Finally – suffering exacerbates our weaknesses and allows His strength to be made perfect in us! From what I have been able to see, we do everything possible to keep from exposing our weaknesses because we do not want others to think we cannot handle life. However, it seems obvious to me that God is determined to expose our weaknesses—whether we like it or not, but He does so with purpose—to show Himself strong!
Listen to the words of Jesus to Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Again, unless this is fixed in your mind, our text will leave you with such anxiety and fear that you will run from it!

MYTEXT

“And the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil” (Job 1:8).

MY QUESTION

Are you praying that God will do for you what He did for Job and invite Satan to consider you? If not, don’t worry because if He decides to do so, He will do it without your permission. Do remember this: God causes all things to work together for good for those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose!!

I just thought I would give you something to think about in your spare time!

Blessings with grace lavished,

Mac