“约伯敬畏神，岂是无故呢？” - 伯 1:9

我记得在大学里有一段时间，一切都非常顺利。我有很多朋友，我的成绩很好，我很开心，我参加了一间很好的教会，我和神的关系很好，我甚至很喜欢我的兼职工作。一切都很顺利，我非常高兴。

当一切都很顺利时，相对来说就很容易尊崇和赞美神，全心全意地跟随祂——从圣经的意义上说，就是敬畏神。

在《约伯记》中，撒但声称约伯很容易敬畏神，是因为他的生活特别顺利。约伯有10个孩子，成千上万的牲畜，还有许多仆婢。约伯是一个了不起的人，他的孩子们常摆设盛大的筵宴。他甚至会献上燔祭，恐怕他家里有人得罪了神。所以约伯当然敬畏神，撒但说。他的生活很美满!

然而，随着约伯故事的继续，所有这些祝福都从他身上被夺走了。他的家人，他的财产，甚至他的健康都被夺走了。但约伯仍然敬畏神。我们对神的委身不应该取决于我们的生活有多好。如果我们只是因为生活好而敬畏神，那么我们就真的一点都不敬畏祂。

当你思想你对神的委身时，要确保你敬畏神是因为祂是谁，而不是因为祂能给你巨大的祝福。

祷告

可畏的神，请帮助我们尊崇你，因为你是神——高于一切的神。阿们。

约伯记 1

1乌斯地有一个人名叫约伯。那人完全、正直，敬畏神，远离恶事。
2他生了七个儿子，三个女儿。
3他的家产有七千羊，三千骆驼，五百对牛，五百母驴，并有许多仆婢。这人在东方人中就为至大。
4他的儿子按着日子各在自己家里设摆筵宴，就打发人去，请了他们的三个姐妹来，与他们一同吃喝。
5筵宴的日子过了，约伯打发人去叫他们自洁。他清早起来，按着他们众人的数目献燔祭，因为他说：“恐怕我儿子犯了罪，心中弃掉神。”约伯常常这样行。
6有一天，神的众子来侍立在耶和华面前，撒旦也来在其中。
7耶和华问撒旦说：“你从哪里来？”撒旦回答说：“我从地上走来走去，往返而来。”
8耶和华问撒旦说：“你曾用心察看我的仆人约伯没有？地上再没有人像他完全、正直，敬畏神，远离恶事。”
9撒旦回答耶和华说：“约伯敬畏神，岂是无故呢？
10你岂不是四面圈上篱笆，围护他和他的家并他一切所有的吗？他手所做的都蒙你赐福，他的家产也在地上增多。
11你且伸手毁他一切所有的，他必当面弃掉你。”
12耶和华对撒旦说：“凡他所有的都在你手中，只是不可伸手加害于他。”于是撒旦从耶和华面前退去。
13有一天，约伯的儿女正在他们长兄的家里吃饭喝酒，
14有报信的来见约伯说：“牛正耕地，驴在旁边吃草，
15示巴人忽然闯来，把牲畜掳去，并用刀杀了仆人，唯有我一人逃脱，来报信给你。”
16他还说话的时候，又有人来说：“神从天上降下火来，将群羊和仆人都烧灭了，唯有我一人逃脱，来报信给你。”

17他还说话的时候，又有人来说：“迦勒底人分做三队忽然闯来，把骆驼掳去，并用刀杀了仆人，唯有我一人逃脱，来报信给你。”
18他还说话的时候，又有人来说：“你的儿女正在他们长兄的家里吃饭喝酒，
19不料有狂风从旷野刮来，击打房屋的四角，房屋倒塌在少年人身上，他们就都死了，唯有我一人逃脱，来报信给你。”
20约伯便起来，撕裂外袍，剃了头，伏在地上下拜，
21说：“我赤身出于母胎，也必赤身归回；赏赐的是耶和华，收取的也是耶和华。耶和华的名是应当称颂的！”
22在这一切的事上约伯并不犯罪，也不以神为愚妄。

Fear For Nothing?

"Does Job fear God for nothing?" - Job 1:9

I can remember a time in college when everything was going really well. I had lots of friends, I was getting good grades, I was having fun, I was involved in a great church, my relationship with God was thriving, and I even enjoyed my part-time job. Everything was going great, and I was extremely happy.

When everything is going well, it is relatively easy to honor and praise God and follow him wholeheartedly—to fear God in the biblical sense of being devoted to him.

In Job 1, Satan claimed it was easy for Job to fear God because his life was going so well. Job had 10 children, thousands of animals, and many servants. Job was a great man whose kids threw great parties. He would even offer sacrifices just in case someone in his household sinned against God. So of course Job feared God, Satan said. His life was great!

As the story of Job continued, however, all those blessings were taken from him. His family, his possessions, and even his health were taken away. Yet Job still feared God. Our devotion to God shouldn’t be dependent on how well life is going for us. If we fear God only because life is good, then we really don’t fear God at all.

As you think about your devotion to God, make sure you fear God because of who he is and not because he can give you great blessings.

Prayer

Awesome God, help us to adore and worship you because of who you are—God above all things. Amen.