Does “the Lord taketh away” from us?
When a person starts to awaken to the truths of the New Covenant, the first casualty of the renewed mind is the worship music we sing in church. When we begin to understand things like our union with God, and how we are complete in Christ, lacking nothing, much of our worship music loses meaning.
Job 1:21 And said: “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither; the LORD gave, and the LORD taketh away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
One Sunday afternoon, I was reminded of this when I attended a church service where a good friend of mine was preaching. A song came up, that included the line “He gives and takes away.”
I stood there, in silence, remembering that the last time we encountered this song, in Singapore, we instructed the worship team to remove those lines, with a few others, from the song.
The Lord does not take away
It’s important to remember that the idea that God gives and takes away, was spoken by Job. But on examination of the first few chapters of the book of Job, can we find where Job’s family, life and business were taken by God?
On the contrary, we read that it was the enemy who took away all those things. We would see the value of Job’s counsel later on in the same book.
I’m not tackling the issues of the Sovereignty of God, neither the notion that the devil needs permission from God to do these things. Those are conversations for another time. Rather let’s focus on the greater promises we have in the New Covenant!
God wants to bless us
God is in the giving business. It was when we least deserved it, when we were sinners and enemies of God in our minds, that the Father sent Jesus. Everything we have is by His Grace. For God to take away something now, He would need to apologize to Jesus.
The enemy wants to destroy and take away
The enemy is the one who comes to devour (1 Peter 5:8). God is not playing mind games. He is not the source of our problems, as well as the solutions to them.
No one could have a trusting relationship with a person who could one day be your blessing and another day be your curse. God is stable, consistent and always Good (1 John 1:5). And He wants a relationship with you.
Unravel additional truth concerning the common error founded via the book of Job.
God has not changed Tom. He is the first and the last- and He is the same yesterday today and forever. He chastens, He disciplines those who are His children, who are all partakers of His discipline or they are not His children. It says so in Hebrews, which is in the New Covenenant of the Bible. You have been preaching like only things that we like to happen are from God, and He desires for us to live anyway we are in error to live.
So sad to see how unteachable you are, Tamera.
Did not go take the talent of the one and give to the one who had 5. Do you not as a good parent take things away from your child for his or her own safety or discipline…
As a whole God is the Author of Life, Satan, Death.
But to make the argument that God never takes away makes no logical or biblical sense.
He Gives and Takes. However, I don’t think we should sing about those things either as heard in some songs…
His nature is to Give, His Son and all things. we should Praise His holy name.
And Tom, quit being so Rude to Tamera, speak Truth in Love. Good grief, she’s more important than you winning an argument? They will know we are Christians by our love.
I LOVE MY FATHER GOD I DO NOT QUESTION
PEACE BE STILL, THY WILL BE DONE
AMEN????????
God will never take away what Jesus did on that cross. Thank you God. Our Father is a good good Father.
I feel like I’m a pretty loving Dad, but not nearly as loving as our Father in Heaven. Imagine if you were to adopt a lil boy and bring him home. And you shower this lil guy with gifts and love. One day the lil boy gets a little lost in his ways and takes his Lincoln logs and starts chucking them at his siblings. In love, I believe both of us would agree, its time to teach him whats right and prune him to make good choices and walk right. Now you’re not going to kick the child out of your house. But the bad stewardship, of in this case his Lincoln logs, may result in the removal the Lincoln logs, because you love him. I believe in some cases God may take away and if God takes something away, the motive behind it is always love. We may not always understand, just like the kid screaming for his Lincoln logs may not see it. But we can trust him.
Although I believe there are cases where God, motivated by love takes; its important to always keep in mind that Satan is the one who often takes. It’s important that we know the schemes of our enemy, who will often take and then point the finger of blame at our loving God.
John 10:10
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
What about the blessing and the curses Deuteronomy 28 who will bring the curses on.
We need to remember:
1. God is the very definition of good.
2. God uses the very same evil that Satan perpetrates, for good (as is shown multiple times in the Bible). Likewise, God uses tragedy to point us to Him which is really, really good.
3. God did not create us to die, but it is the result of sin. However, He has coopted it’s power and uses it so we are not separated from Him forever. Without our death on Earth and Jesus’ sacrifice, we’d be separated from God forever…how merciful… what a brilliant way to solve the problem and turn a horrible thing into good. This is an important “global picture”.
4. If we truly believe what the Bible says, then premature death for a believer, we must realize, is not a “bad” thing, though temporarily can be a “sad” thing. Is premature death even a valid concept for Christians? I would submit “no”, as God determines the timing for our birth and death.
I wrote this song as my wife is dealing with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer and her time is probably short (according to the stats). God bless you.
The Anchor
You Lord are awesome, you help us in our lives overcome. With you Lord all is possible, for all that is good you’re responsible.
As I keep my eye on You, there’s nothing you can’t see me through. Yet this short life is not about me, but about me following the King.
‘Cause you Lord are beautiful, this world overflows with your miracles. With you Lord all can be made right, ’cause darkness can’t ever defeat The Light.
As I walk this shadowed land, I know you hold me in your hand. Though tragedy may come to be, I know you you’ll never leave me.
‘Cause you Lord are faithful, our Rock of Salvation- unbreakable! It’s You Lord, Lord it’s You we trust, may soon come the day You deliver us.
As I rest in what’s assured, I stay anchored in your word. I’ll let its bright light be my guide, I know You’re right there by my side.