Once upon a time there was a man called Job. He lived in a large house with many animals and servants. Job had ten children and they were all happy. He loved God very much and always did what was right.
But one day something bad happened. A servant came running to Job. He shouted, “Robbers have come and stolen your animals!” Before Job could say anything, another servant came and shouted, “A fire has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep!” Then a third servant came and shouted: “A storm has overthrown your house and your children are dead!”
Job’s heart was as heavy as a huge stone. His eyes were wet with tears. Everything he had was gone. But Job fell to his knees and prayed:
“God has given me everything, and God has taken it away. I praise him anyway!”
Job knew that God is always good, even if we don’t understand everything.
Questions to think about
What do you do when you’re sad?
Do you know that God always loves you?
Message of history
Even when bad things happen, we can trust God. He loves us and is always with us!
Bible passage
The story of Job and his trials can be found in Job 1:1-22:
*”There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and this man was righteous and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.
And to him were born seven sons and three daughters.
He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen and 500 female donkeys, and his servants were very numerous. And this man was greater than all the sons of the east.
And his sons used to hold a banquet [miteinander] – each in the house of the other on his day – and they invited their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
Then when the days of the banquet were over, Job sent and sanctified them; and he rose early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all, for Job thought, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts!” So Job did all the time.
And one day the sons of God went to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.
Then the LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from? And Satan answered the LORD and said: I have roamed the earth and walked on it!
Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you taken heed of my servant Job, for there is none like him on earth, a man so upright and upright as he who fears God and shuns evil?
But Satan answered the LORD and said: Is Job godly for nothing?
Have you not surrounded him and his house and all that he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have spread throughout the land.
But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has – truly, he will curse you to your face!
Then the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has shall be in your hand; only do not stretch out your hand to him! And Satan departed from the presence of the LORD.
Now it came to pass one day, when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their firstborn brother,
that a messenger came to Job, saying, The oxen were plowing, and the asses were grazing beside them,
and the Sabaeans invaded and took them away, and smote the servants with the edge of the sword; and I escaped alone to tell thee.
While he was still speaking, another came and said, “God’s fire came down from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and distorted them, and I alone have escaped to tell you!
While he was still speaking, another came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three companies and attacked the camels and took them away and struck the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone escaped to tell you!
While he was still speaking, another came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their firstborn brother,
and behold, a violent stormy wind came from beyond the desert and caught the four corners of the house, so that it fell on the young people, and they died; and I escaped alone to tell you!
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and prayed to
and said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will go again. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!
In all this, Job did not sin and did not act improperly toward God. “*
