Grieving and Grateful

Hello, I'm Xochitl Dixon. Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread, Grieving and Grateful. After my mom died, one of her fellow cancer patients approached me. �Your mom was so kind to me,� she said, sobbing. �I'm sorry she died instead of me.

My mom loved you,� I said. �We prayed God would let you see your boys grow up.� Holding her hands, I wept with her and asked God to help her grieve peacefully. I also thanked Him for her remission that allowed her to continue loving her husband and two growing children. The Bible reveals a complexity of grief when Job lost most everything, including all his children. Job grieved and fell to the ground in worship with a heartbreaking and hopeful act of surrender and expression of gratitude.

He declared in Job 1 21, �The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. May the name of the Lord be praised.� While Job would struggle mightily later through his grieving and God's rebuilding of his life, in this moment he accepted and even rejoiced in God's authority over the good and bad situations. God understands the many ways we process and struggle with emotions. He invites us to grieve with honesty and vulnerability. Even when sorrow seems endless and unbearable, God affirms that He hasn't and won't change. With this promise, God comforts us and empowers us to be grateful for His presence.

Join me as I read today's scripture reading. It's taken from the book of Job chapter 1 verses 13 to 22. One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, a messenger came to Job and said, �The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you.� While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, �The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you.� While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, �The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you.� While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, �Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, and suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house.

It collapsed on them and they are dead and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you.� At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said, �Naked I came from my mother's womb and naked I willed apart.� The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. May the name of the Lord be praised.

In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. Let's pray. Compassionate God, thank you for knowing us and carrying us through every step of our grieving process. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.