Job 29:20

20 My glory [kabowd] was fresh [chadash] in me [`immad], and my bow [qesheth] was renewed [chalaph] in my hand [yad]. KJV-Interlinear

20 'My glory is ever new with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.' NASB

In his better days, Jobs glory, his grandness, his splendor, the picture of his life, if you could take a picture of wealth and success, was always with him.

Job had lived a very long time by our standards, and he was successful beyond anyone's wildest dreams. Job had his family, his innumerable relatives (we'll read about them in the final chapters), his vast wealth, his health, his abilities and intelligence, his positions in social circles and in society. There was not much more that could be added to his life.

As we studied the other day, Jobs life was just about as perfect as a life could get.

His glory was a picture of his phenomenally successful life. His bow is suggestive of his strength and abilities to meet just about any earthly challenge that might come along.

Job could counter anyone who might challenge him by legal means. Job could purchase just about anything that was available in his day. Job was well able to meet any controversy in his life. He had the wealth, and the means to deal with anything.

Except

And this is the principle which is going to be taught by this chapter. Job had many earthly blessings. All came from God, which he acknowledged. But as we have already seen, God is the source of everything - good and bad. God gives and He takes away. And by this we mean that God has made provision for any set of circumstances in life, including disaster.

Job on his own, could not prevent the suffering that was about to fall all over him. In his prosperity, he, unlike most folks, knew that God was the source, and that it could all fade away in a heartbeat. And in one afternoon it did.

Regardless of your circumstances in this life, there will always be something in this world, which can come along and take it all away in a heartbeat. Even your life is on the table for Gods disposition.

Some folks have the blessing of having much in this life. Most of us have far less.

If God is first in your life, then your circumstances are irrelevant, because God will take care of you no matter who or what you are. If God is not first in your life, then you have already lost, you just probably won't recognize it until the moment of your death, or until some humongous disaster has trampled you down.

And if a disaster does fall all over you, then count yourself lucky. God has given you another chance.

Now is the time to post a prayer.