It may be that my children ...

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His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.
(Job 1:4-5 ESV)

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What impression do you have of Job when you read of his continual sacrifices? Do you think that it is odd that he seemed, in a spiritual sense, so overly protective? Do you know parents like this or can you relate to this kind of worrying with your own children? On the surface it does not seem to be problematic but I wonder what Job's children thought when they considered that their father felt it necessary to take care of them in this way?

I can relate to this kind of worry. After my first wife died, my son worked out his grief by abusing drugs for several years - sometimes we replace healthy grieving with unhealthy medicating. During those years I was beside myself with worry and did not understand how to help a grieving teen. Eventually, after years of rescuing my son, I began to let him go and trust God to lead him and to protect him. Sometimes it is necessary to simply get out of the way.

Help us Lord to release our family and our friends to you today.

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