Lifelines.

Do you remember the show “Who wants to be a Millionaire”, the game show that has a contestant answer multiple choice questions that progressively get harder and harder? The person has “lifelines”, (phone a friend, 50:50 and Ask the Audience) an opportunity to ask for help when they are stumped on a question. When crisis hits, what is your lifeline? A lifeline can be a rope or line for life-saving or could be someone or something you depend on to provide a means of escape from a difficult situation. That something could be finances, technology or relationships, can these things help us in difficult situations?

I didn’t have to read to deep into the book of Job to understand what his lifeline was, despite losing everything His lifeline was his faith in God. Chapter 1 of Job introduces us to the beginning of a brutal journey of physical and emotional suffering and loss; while at the same time it draws us into the life of a man who exemplified the true meaning of being blameless and upright before God. I have read and heard the story of Job many times and each time I still have a difficult time understanding Job’s first response to the terrible reports of loss. “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship” (1:20). Job was a one of a kind, “There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil”. (1:8) Today I believe that we would be hard pressed to find another “Job” among us, it is my hope and prayer that as the Lord leads and directs our lives He would help us live blameless and upright lives in His eyes.

We are called to worship in the midst of suffering. The life story of Job should be an inspiration for us to find our lifeline in Christ, not in the objects of this world. In Christ we have the “phone a friend” lifeline through prayer, we just have use it. Suffering and loss are never easy and Job’s life reflects that as well as his commitment to his Faith in God. I am encouraged by this thought today: The God that Job worshiped and served is the same loving God that we serve and worship today.