ONLY A CHAPTER

Today's reading: Job 41-42

"Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, good life." Job 42:17 NLT

I've read the book of Job approximately 20 times in my yearly Bible readings.

I've studied the book of Job with my Sunday School gals, deeply and intently.

I've heard about poor Job my entire life.

But this single verse, I'd never read--never noticed until today!

Job's life was summed up as long and good.

Job's. Job's! Job's?

I'm not quoting a commentator. I'm not referring to text written by another author. I'm not even offering my opinion on Job's life. I'm simply stating what God's Word says.

A good, long life.

That's not how we usually refer to Job. That's not the connotation we place upon conversations regarding this woeful soul. That's not the labels most of us would apply to his story.

It makes me think how vitally important it is to have God as your friend. So much so that at the end of your life, no matter how you're regarded, what you've accomplished, what you have endured or what you have accumulated--if you have God, you have lived a good, long life.

Our entire story begins with God forming us in our mother's wombs and ends with us standing before Him--everything else is merely a chapter, or even a page, of that story.

One written by God. Autographed by God. Published by God.