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This Is A Test


             But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. (Job 23:10-11)

                 One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
            Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”
               Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” (Job 1:6-8)

          Somewhere, recently, I read that “a teacher is always silent during a test.” This winter has felt like a test. I don’t think I’ve done very well, but I’m no good at judging such things. I recall someone asking why we would think God needs to test us. If He’s omniscient, He already knows how we’ll answer, doesn’t He? 
          Yes, He knows. But we don’t. Thus, Job was tested for Job’s benefit.
          Then there’s the whole question of the piece of the puzzle Job didn’t have. God’s test of Job came after Satan doubted God’s word in public (in front of all the angels present.) Job was tested for Satan’s benefit, and for the benefit of all the angels. I’m not so sure that Job came through the test as gold. Not in his own right. He may not have failed by doing what Satan said he would, but he didn’t do as well as he could have. What that suggests to me is that God may have been showing Satan that God is merciful, and willing to forgive, even His champion, when His champion was less than a knight in shining armor. Could God have been showing Satan that He is willing to forgive even Satan, if Satan would only repent? 
           Could that be the biggest test we take, too?

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