God is Good

Hello Littleman Journal readers, this is Jimmy Robson, rhythm electric guitar player for the Littleman Band, brotha-from-anotha-motha of Kevin and Ryan Jones, and (most importantly) Christ follower. I am a junior at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. I am studying to earn a bachelor's degree in English with a concentration in journalism, with hopes of one day writing for some sort of Christian publication. Kevin has asked me to contribute to the blog, and I am more than happy to oblige him, as A) I love to write; and B) It's good practice for my future career!

Something that has been on my heart for the past week or so has been the story of Job. I know its sort of a morbid topic, but it is an important concept to grasp all the same. About a week ago on Saturday, April 3, 2010, my best friend Matthew Shortt lost his brother, Daniel, in a car accident in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was seventeen years old. Matt received news of it the morning it happened while he was still at school Radford University in Virginia. Although this was a terrible tragedy, it is not the focus of this post. Don't get me wrong, I miss Daniel terribly, but it is Matt's reaction to the situation that left the biggest impression on me. Matt has not once blamed God for the loss of his brother, but rejoices in the fact that Daniel is now with Christ.

Matt reminds me a lot of Job. The Bible tells us that Job declared "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised," (Job 1:21). What faith! Although Job was stripped of everything he had, he never once blamed God. In fact, he PRAISED God! Job had every right to curse the name of God (and according to Job 2:9, his wife encouraged him to), but he refused. Job did this because he had faith that there was one truth in the world: God is good. He knew that by blaming God for everything that had happened to him, it would be the equivalent of doubting God's goodness.

If we can't trust that God is good, what hope can we find in the world? Jesus told his disciples while he was on earth "…in the world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world," (John 16:33). I admire Matt and others who have the faith of Job when the world seems to be falling apart around them. It is their faith that PROVES that Grace is more precious than anything we can hold on earth.