Ah, mah-widge - a tip of the hat, in homage to the Princess Bride - to be bound for all time (this side of eternity anyway) with your lifelong "helpmate" - 'till death do you part. That is not to say that such unions stay in a state of perpetual bliss, oh no, no, no, true believers... it ain't necessarily so.
The Holy Bible models many marriages that we can relate to (or wish for, considering whatever temporary situations we find ourselves in this day).
What we see in marriages therein (still, the Holy Bible) is in Scripture for our instruction - helping us to understand what GOD requires, and what our (positional) attitude should be in-and-out of times which GOD decides to move in our lives.
No more poignant example exists within this narrow scope of matrimony, than that of "Job".
"There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job..." (Job.1.1a.esv)
Job - whether a literal or figurative character from the time of the Patriarchs - was described in generalizations within the Bible's Old Testament as being a holy man and (unbeknownst to him at the time) an object lesson in hard times and trials.
It's a "given" - in this life, we will have trials...
Whether personally vested in, or merely knowledgable of, traumatic (national) events - we grieve; and, albeit we grieve, we know that healing comes regardless.
In my lifetime, living in the southeastern United States, these events impacted me the most:
* President Reagan's Assasination Attempt - March 30, 1981
* Space Shuttle Challenger - January 28, 1986
* Hurricane Hugo - 1989
* Hurricane Andrew - 1992
* Election of Bill Clinton - 1992
* Re-Election of Bill Clinton - 1996
* NY/PA/DC Terrorist Attacks - September 11, 2001
* Space Shuttle Columbia - February 1, 2003
* President Reagan's Passing - June 5, 2004
* Hurricane Katrina - 2005
* Election of Barak Obama - 2008
* Re-election of Barak Obama - 2012
(Yes, I underline for emphasis, build a bridge and get over it.)
In my sanctified imagination, I can almost see Job's list of impactful trials, I think it'd be a short list... in the number two position would be what GOD permitted Satan to do to him. The top answer would be "that woman [GOD] gave [him]" - the "helpmate" he married.
Grace Under Fire...
When our own trials arise, does our grieving resemble Job's...
"Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped... [and] Job did not sin or charge God with wrong." (Job.1.20,22.esv)
...or some type of reaction we'd like to liken to posting an embarassing picture out on Facebook, letting those at church see cracks in your "nearly perfect" veneer of either godliness or peaceful home/family? Ouchie.
SO not Helping...
"Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die." But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips." (Job.2.9-10.esv)
Job was (fortunately, or unfortunately) married. And, brothers-and-sisters... Job's wife was a real piece of... work.
No where else in the Book of Job does any further account of Job's wife occur. One would ask why... one who hears one asking why would say "Duh-uh".
Keep Your Friends Close, Keep Your Enemies Closer...
Given that the bulk of the Book of Job is a long-drawn out dialogue from three of Job's (not-so-sharp) friends, we'll forego that for now and focus in on Job's wife.
Is it not been mankind's experience that those who know us best, wound us deepest? Consider this... it's one thing for a kid that ain't yours to walk down the hall in church, haul off and sucker punch you and laugh about it; but, entirely a more grievous issue for your own progeny to even toy with your heart and state, "I hate you."
In light of those real-world events, consider Job's wife - she sees all what has been wrought against her husband (Job) and entices him to "curse God and die". Y'know, some (if not all) might have been her kids, too.
The man's already down-and-out and you want to dig your 3400 year old stillettos into your husband? Whoa, Nellie!
A Complete Restoration...
My favorite parts of the Book of Job would have to be -
"And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." (Job.42.10.esv)
Of special note, Scripture cites that his siblings "showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him." GOD "permits" evil, Satan needs permission to acost the Saints.
and -
"He had also seven sons and three daughters." (Job.42.13.esv)
Probably by other wives (or wife) - being that Job's (initial) wife is conspicuously absent after chapter 2, these children - being a blessing from GOD - would doubtfully come via the "nagging wife".
"And Job died, an old man, and full of days." (Job.42.17.esv)
Ah ha! I cannot fathom why - as additional rationale as to why Job never saw his "Chapter 2" wife again - GOD would permit Job a long life with anyone that embittered.
Thank GOD I am not Job - and that my wife is not THAT wife - and that GOD is GOD. MMLIA.
The Holy Bible models many marriages that we can relate to (or wish for, considering whatever temporary situations we find ourselves in this day).
What we see in marriages therein (still, the Holy Bible) is in Scripture for our instruction - helping us to understand what GOD requires, and what our (positional) attitude should be in-and-out of times which GOD decides to move in our lives.
No more poignant example exists within this narrow scope of matrimony, than that of "Job".
"There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job..." (Job.1.1a.esv)
Job - whether a literal or figurative character from the time of the Patriarchs - was described in generalizations within the Bible's Old Testament as being a holy man and (unbeknownst to him at the time) an object lesson in hard times and trials.
It's a "given" - in this life, we will have trials...
Whether personally vested in, or merely knowledgable of, traumatic (national) events - we grieve; and, albeit we grieve, we know that healing comes regardless.
In my lifetime, living in the southeastern United States, these events impacted me the most:
* President Reagan's Assasination Attempt - March 30, 1981
* Space Shuttle Challenger - January 28, 1986
* Hurricane Hugo - 1989
* Hurricane Andrew - 1992
* Election of Bill Clinton - 1992
* Re-Election of Bill Clinton - 1996
* NY/PA/DC Terrorist Attacks - September 11, 2001
* Space Shuttle Columbia - February 1, 2003
* President Reagan's Passing - June 5, 2004
* Hurricane Katrina - 2005
* Election of Barak Obama - 2008
* Re-election of Barak Obama - 2012
(Yes, I underline for emphasis, build a bridge and get over it.)
In my sanctified imagination, I can almost see Job's list of impactful trials, I think it'd be a short list... in the number two position would be what GOD permitted Satan to do to him. The top answer would be "that woman [GOD] gave [him]" - the "helpmate" he married.
Grace Under Fire...
When our own trials arise, does our grieving resemble Job's...
"Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped... [and] Job did not sin or charge God with wrong." (Job.1.20,22.esv)
...or some type of reaction we'd like to liken to posting an embarassing picture out on Facebook, letting those at church see cracks in your "nearly perfect" veneer of either godliness or peaceful home/family? Ouchie.
SO not Helping...
"Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die." But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips." (Job.2.9-10.esv)
Job was (fortunately, or unfortunately) married. And, brothers-and-sisters... Job's wife was a real piece of... work.
No where else in the Book of Job does any further account of Job's wife occur. One would ask why... one who hears one asking why would say "Duh-uh".
Keep Your Friends Close, Keep Your Enemies Closer...
Given that the bulk of the Book of Job is a long-drawn out dialogue from three of Job's (not-so-sharp) friends, we'll forego that for now and focus in on Job's wife.
Is it not been mankind's experience that those who know us best, wound us deepest? Consider this... it's one thing for a kid that ain't yours to walk down the hall in church, haul off and sucker punch you and laugh about it; but, entirely a more grievous issue for your own progeny to even toy with your heart and state, "I hate you."
In light of those real-world events, consider Job's wife - she sees all what has been wrought against her husband (Job) and entices him to "curse God and die". Y'know, some (if not all) might have been her kids, too.
The man's already down-and-out and you want to dig your 3400 year old stillettos into your husband? Whoa, Nellie!
A Complete Restoration...
My favorite parts of the Book of Job would have to be -
"And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." (Job.42.10.esv)
Of special note, Scripture cites that his siblings "showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him." GOD "permits" evil, Satan needs permission to acost the Saints.
and -
"He had also seven sons and three daughters." (Job.42.13.esv)
Probably by other wives (or wife) - being that Job's (initial) wife is conspicuously absent after chapter 2, these children - being a blessing from GOD - would doubtfully come via the "nagging wife".
"And Job died, an old man, and full of days." (Job.42.17.esv)
Ah ha! I cannot fathom why - as additional rationale as to why Job never saw his "Chapter 2" wife again - GOD would permit Job a long life with anyone that embittered.
Thank GOD I am not Job - and that my wife is not THAT wife - and that GOD is GOD. MMLIA.
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