This is the beginning of a series of posts on a look at the life (and book) of Job, in the Bible. What began as a question on Facebook, turned into a full fledged research/discussion project. Please enjoy the recap I am doing here.

Who are you?

Well, what about it? WHO are you? How do you define your purpose, your being, your existence?

Some may say, “Well, I’m a carpenter, a father, and a good friend.” Others may say “I’m a mother of 4 children” Yet does this define WHO you are? Rather you are speaking of WHAT you are.

Strip away all the things from you. Take away your house, your kids, your occupation, and everything that you “do” and “are” from day to day. WHO are you now? Will your answer be “a penniless pauper”?

Are you someone? Do you have purpose and meaning in life without the “things” around you that sustain you and give you meaning?

Starting to sound like a familiar story? Yes, Job, from the Bible. A man with a houseful of children. Lands, animals, and wealth were his possessions. He walked into the city and was respected of all men. Then, things changed.

Twice God challenged the devil to observe Job’s life. Twice Satan said, “put forth thine hand” to take things, people, and even health from Job. All but his life was taken. Once a loving father. Now a man surrounded by many graves. Once one of the richest men on earth, now penniless. Once a highly respected man. Now horribly disfigured. Scary to behold. Scorned. Held in derision. Where people used to look at him and respect him, now they look and tremble at his sight. Feared because of his appearance.

Weakly he falls on an ash heap to morn and scrape his wounds. Was he now just a man sitting on the ash heap? Or was he more?

You see, without God, life has no meaning. A belief in evolution, that man was created randomly, STARTS the thinking that life is without meaning. What begins randomly, stays random, and ends random. If you believe you were created randomly, can you believe you have purpose? You would be just a random accident.

Because of this, many today without God lose all vision of purpose and meaning. They end up taking their life, or even the lives of others. They fail to see more around them than what they can see or touch. Take away everything they have falsely placed purpose in, and they have nothing left.

Now, Job was not entirely perfect. He went through quite a depression. He wished for the day he would die. He cursed the day he was born. He didn’t understand what he had done to cause this. Did he ever lose his purpose? No. He could have just killed himself. He didn’t.

Was Job more than a man on an ash heap wishing for death? YES!! This was GOD’S BEST sitting there. God knew the metal that was in Job. He was taunting His adversary with him. Job was fulfilling the ultimate purpose. Job was glorifying God. Through everything that happened, God received glory.

Behold purpose and meaning! Do you think it a small thing to glorify God with your life? Do you think He is not worthy of such glory? Do you think He is unfair to do such? If so, you have not yet seen Him. You have not considered His glory and majesty. He gives our every breath. We exist because of Him and for Him. There is no other purpose.

So, I ask again. Who are you?