God’s Plan
Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch. In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. So Job died, old and full of days. – Job 42:12-17.
Terry Dresdow who lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was a crime victim, his car was stolen. The 1989 Chevrolet Caprice, Terry owns, was bought used for about $1200 and he used it primarily for transportation to and from work. The car was stolen from Terry’s driveway even though he was using “the club” on the steering wheel. There is, however, a surprising end to this story. The car has been recovered in better shape than it was when it was stolen. It may actually be worth three, or four times more than when it was stolen. The detective that recovered the car, John Davis, said, “Actually, Mr. Dresdow kinda made out on the deal. He got a car back that’s probably worth three times what it was when it was stolen.” The car now has a top of the line stereo system with a powerful 1600-watt amplifier, chrome wheels, low profile tires, new paint job, and a keyless entry!
It would be great if all crime victims could be compensated by the perpetrators in a similar way. I once had a pickup stolen, it was eventually recovered but the equipment in the pickup was essential to the oilfield business I had at the time. As a result, several thousand dollars was lost in business during the period the pickup was missing. However, there are much worse things that can happen to you than losing a pickup or a vehicle of any kind.
Wouldn’t it be nice, wonderful, if that whatever bad thing happens to us in life that somehow it would turn out for our good? Wouldn’t it be great if somehow, someway, someday, we would be compensated, or rewarded so that we would rarely even think about the bad things that have happened to us? That may be exactly what God has planned.
Job experienced the ultimate nightmare with the death of his children and the loss of most of his possessions. That devastation was followed by a terrible disease with sores covering his body. However, the ultimate outcome was that Job recovered and to some extent was restored from this nightmare. Job was blessed with additional children, riches, and a long, long life.
I believe we can look at the experience of Job as being figurative. We too have a terrible disease, the disease of sin (Romans 3:23: Romans 6:23). Because of the disease of sin, bad things can and do happen to us while we walk upon this earth. However, someday there will come a time of restoration and that restoration, that healing; will be far beyond anything this present world can offer. That glorious day will come when we arrive in the presence of Jesus in Heaven. “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:4).” Then we will fully understand the truth of Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
(Some glorious day we will be healed from the disease of sin and experience restoration beyond our imagination.)