Job sat in ashes, covered in boils.
His children gone.
Everything he worked for years to earn swept away.
With a wife saying, “Curse God and die,” and friends surrounding him,
Job listened to their desperate attempts to make sense of his pain as they listed every possible thing he could have done to make God so angry.
And yet, Job looked up.
He knew that even if God seemed to have abandoned him, there had to be more to his tragic life story.
He knew that in spite of all of his agony, ONE DAY all the sorrow would be washed away in a minute.
He didn’t understand his suffering.
Deep inside he felt unjustly punished.
He was the poster child for the saying,
“Life is not fair.”
But Job still looked up.
Last night, I ran to pick up Olivia from a basketball game.
As I stepped into our driveway, I happened to notice how clear the sky appeared.
Every star sparkling in such vivid detail.
Stars I hadn’t noticed in a long time.
I stopped for a second and just looked up.
These stars all shone in the same positions I had remembered them in a season where I looked up often.
I remember after Nick’s death looking up almost every night, as if somehow I could see Nick in the expanse of the sky.
I knew he was there in the heavens, and I still believe that today.
I knew that the God of the Universe who created every sparkling dot in the sky still loved me and that He held Nick in the palm of His hand.
But life gets busy and looking up at the sky hasn’t been a nightly occurrence for me for some time.
It felt surreal to stand in my drive way last night and see the wonder of the sky anew.
It was as if three years of grief were swallowed up in a moment’s time as I slipped back in time to that early pain and felt the same peace I felt as I trusted God through those first few months of deep sadness.
Today, I’m sensing someone is brokenhearted and needs to know that God loves them deeply even when “life is not fair.”
I am praying for you today, and I want you to know that no matter how uncertain, how painful, how difficult your earthly situation there is one thing that remains forever true,
“Your Redeemer lives and one day He will stand upon the earth at last.”
And when He does, all of our heartache will be washed away……….leaving a cloudless night filled with the wonder of a starry sky.
Keep looking up.
He’s there!
I promise.
Job 19:25-27
“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
and he will stand upon the earth at last.
And after my body has decayed,
yet in my body I will see God!
I will see him for myself.
Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.
I am overwhelmed at the thought!
I LOVE this Tammy! I’m looking up! Love & prayers, in Jesus, Cynthia
Today’s post was for me I believe. I am currently in th ER with my husband who has been battleing stage
4 prostate cancer with mets to the entire skelatal system for two years five months. I am so very greatful for every day I have had with him. He is getting tired and weary but he always amazes me with his strength. I read your blog and it gives me hope that I can do this. Care for him and stay strong and survive the unthinkable. Thank you for sharing your heart and hurt with us. It helps so much! Thanks again!
Shannon Warren
Cynthia,
I am so thankful you are looking up! It’s the only way I survive!
Shannon,
I am praying for your husband and for you as you walk a painful road. Praying for strength, peace, moments of joy as you cherish every minute together. Oh, what a day it will be when all of our tears are washed away!
Love you both,
Tammy