Rise and Fall

We can't help thinking back to our last two hands at Soho Bar & Grill Wednesday night.  We went all-in and won a huge pot -- then called an all-in bet with an arguably better hand, and lost it all.

How do you handle moments like that?  First of all, we're grateful it's free poker.  No money was lost.  (If that had been a real cash game, the sting probably would have been tougher.)  Secondly, we're reminded of some advice from an Old Testament success story.

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart.  The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." - Job 1:21

Read the entire first chapter of Job, and you'll see this man lost a lot more than 15,000 poker chips.  With God's permission, Satan was allowed to plunder and destroy his livestock, servants and even his children.  Yet what was Job's response?

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head.  Then he fell to the ground in worship.... - Job 1:20

To borrow from our opponent Wednesday night, pressure didn't bust his pipes.  Job kept on worshiping God.  He seemed to realize the blessings we receive in life (even family blessings) are merely temporary.  Job was tested again on this a bit later....

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.... His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity?  Curse God and die!"  He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman.  Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"  In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. - Job 2:7-10

Read on in this book (we won't give away the details), and you'll find Job eventually wonders deeply about what had happened to him.  But at the end, Job finds peace with God and receives a marvelous ending.

You may be wondering deeply about sudden losses in your life -- whether it's a big lead at the poker table, a job, a marriage or something else.  Keep in mind that somewhere in the midst of those clouds, God is at work.  He may have lessons for you to learn, which you don't understand right now.  We may not even understand them until the day of our resurrection.  But if we "keep the faith," God will bring blessings from them.

Praise the Lord.  Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands.... He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.  His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. - Psalm 112:1, 7-8