He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold." Job 23:10

No one on the face of the earth has had to endure all the things that Job endured at one time. He lost everything in one fell swoop, his children, his livestock, his servants, his livelihood and his health. All he was left with was a bitter wife who added to this poor man's misery. One day he had it all and the next, nothing. Job's reaction was not to curse God, but to worship him and the first words out of his mouth, "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." Job 1:21 What incredible faith this saint of old had! There are not many who would echo Job's words given the same scenario in their lives. If all this was not enough for poor Job to suffer, he had a wife who wanted him to curse God and die and friends who were sure Job had sinned greatly to bring such devastation upon himself. While those around him tried to "help" by pulling him down, his faith remained sure. He trusted God to see him through and he knew the outcome would be gold! Job knew that if gold was put into the fire, not only would it come out still gold, but it would come out purer and more luminous. Job went into this furnace of affliction an innocent, righteous man and he came out the same, only better, more pure, stronger. In the end, despite the sad treatment of his "friends", he came out stronger, more sure of God and His faithfulness. Fire does that; it burns off all the dross and makes the gold purer, more valuable. Job's trials did have a clarifying effect on his life and in the end made him even more valuable to His God. So with us; when the fire seems to consume us, let us not lose heart, for we will come out purer and more valuable to Him. Let us, like Job, praise the name of LORD for all He places in our lives, both the good and bad, for if we allow Him to have his way in our lives, we, like Job, will come forth as gold.

Father, help us to remember that when we find ourselves in the fire that we will come out the other side purer and brighter. Burn away the dross, dear Lord. We wish to be pure gold that we might praise You as did Job. Let us never lose sight of the fact that all that surrounds us on this earth is fleeting, but our relationship with You is eternal. Help us to prioritize our lives as did Job, making You number one in our lives. Amen