Job 1:8-12 – The reasons we worship and serve God

In the meeting which God had with His angels, we are told that Satan, the unwilling servant of God was also present. He is God’s unwilling servant because he has to do God’s bidding even though he hates it. And he cannot do anything to us without God’s approval. In this passage, we see God boasting about Job to Satan. In so doing, He was giving Satan the come-on on Job, who was a godly, righteous and God pursuing man. We know that when God gives the approval for the attack, He had in mind to use whatever havoc our adversary would create to toughen and strengthen His people. One example is Paul’s thorn in the flesh in 2 Corinthians 12:7. The Apostle called it a messenger from Satan sent to torment him. And God was the one who had granted the thorn on Paul so that he would be kept from being proud. So unwittingly Satan was doing God’s bidding in Paul’s life. And in the trial that Paul had experienced, God was faithful to see him through by providing him His all sufficient grace. In much the same way, God will also provide His grace, strength and the resource to help us endure the hard time. Like Paul, we are God’s children. We are truly blessed. Satan cannot touch us without God’s approval. And when he does, God will give us the strength to endure the hardship the trials would bring.

Verse 9 reveals that God had a high estimation of Job. He pointed out to Satan, that there was no one on earth like Job. For he was a blameless and upright, and a God-fearing man, who constantly turned away from evil. Job had proven his faithfulness and God was confident that he could weather the havoc that Satan would bring on him. So He pointed out godly Job to Satan. The Adversary’s response was that he could not touch Job because of the protective hedge God had placed over this godly man. We are heartened by this knowledge. For in much the same way, Satan cannot touch us because God had also placed a hedge of protection round about us. And no mishap can happen to us without God’s approval. So, God allowed Satan to test Job but placed a limit on what he could do to him. Satan could do anything to Job’s belongings but he could not touch Job personally.

The insinuation of Satan about Job tells us how he estimated him. He thought that Job was a selfish person and that he would worship God for what he could get and not because he truly valued God. Notice that Satan did not question Job’s piety but his motive. This suggests to us that like Job, we should worship God for Who He is and not for the blessings He will give. Whatever it is, we need to know that God truly blesses us, and He has placed a protective hedge around us. And that hedge of protection cannot be removed unless God permits it. When He does remove it, it’s because He knows we can withstand the onslaught and that He will be with us in the adversities.

Like Job, we His true servants will be tested too. The reasons God allows us to be tested will also be the same reasons why He allowed Job to be tested. It’s because God wants to demonstrate that like Job, we will worship and serve Him not because of the blessings we can get from Him, but because God is morally worth the adoration. God is confident that as His true servants we will also worship Him not because He demands it but because He deserves to be worshiped. We must worship God not because of what He can give but because of Who He is. Why do we worship God then? Let us worship and serve Him because we trust and love Him.