February 2009: Job in Chester

Dear Family, 

 

Over the last few months, the adults in Highland House have been working their way through the Book of Job.  Job is the devastating tale of a godly man whose life is used by Satan as a cosmic test of faithfulness and trust.  Satan strips Job of all his earthly possessions, cattle, spouse, children, health, home, and friends. Near the end of the book, hope is a hard thing to find, yet Job is sure that God is sovereign and refuses to lose faith. 

  

 

The Job saga has reared its head in Chester.  One of my teammates' families has been visited by pain in such a way that everyone around them is also deeply moved, including me.  I struggle with what to say as lies trump truth in this stage of Satan's game.  How do I encourage our Job?  Do I say, “Curse God” as Job’s friends did?  Or do I praise God in the pain?  How do I be the friend that the Job of the Bible did not have?  “Curse God” is not an option, and yet here we are, over our heads in sorrow, wanting to honor God as Job did.  We, the staff and church, desire God’s joy to be our strength. 

 

Miss Kim has been teaching me how to honor God in pain.  She comes out every Friday night to church.  She is a growing believer and core member of Highland House, and recently, she has been an inspiration and encouragement to me.  While all the chaos is erupting, Miss Kim has shown strength and determination; she is continually pointing me back to the Word and drawing parallels between this situation and Job’s.  She has taken on responsibilities, and in the middle of the pain, she has been unwavering, standing firm in Christ’s love and all-knowing ways.  She has been the friend Job never had while being the audible voice of God in the pain 

 

When the Job Bible study began, no one knew what God had in store for our church or our World Impact Chester staff, but as life unfolds, we are learning how to honor God in all situations; we are praising God for every glimmer of hope; we are praying that we will be the friends that Job needed, not the ones he had. Please pray along with us.  Pray that those inclined to lose faith will cling to God’s truth and be encouraged by those who refuse to let go.