Job 1

“The was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job …” (v1). The long, complex book of Job begins with a simple truth: very difficult things can happen to good people. Job “was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (v1), yet he lost everything. In his day, wealth and family were viewed as rewards for righteousness, and disaster was interpreted as God (or the gods) punishing evildoers. But Job did nothing wrong and could not control what happened to him.

“Blessed be the name of the Lord” (v21). Like many of us, Job was faced with circumstances he didn’t understand. In the midst of tragedy, he held on to the Lord.