J is for Job

Job

(written by Gregory D. Metcalf)

June 21, 2012

There was a man who lived in the land of Uz

He was extremely rich and happy because

He was deemed to be blameless and upright

He feared God turning from evil day and night

Born to him were three girls and seven sons

Sheep and camels, oxen and donkeys by the tons

Were his along with servants making him great

No other man in all the east had such an estate

Quite often his boys and girls would hold a feast

In the house of the oldest with wine and treat

Even then this man would show his dedication

Burnt offerings he gave with much trepidation

For this man feared his children might sin

They might curse God or worse forget Him

So this blameless and upright man did thus

For something deep inside told him he must

There was a day when all of the sons of God

Came to report their travels across this sod

All the angels were present at this meeting

Even Satan appeared with a sinister greeting

The Lord said to Satan “Where have you been?”

“To and fro”, said he, “from fair valley to den”

“I traveled the earth walking up and down on it

I have had quite a time I will soundly admit”

“Well,” said the Lord, “What think ye of my man?

There is no one like him anywhere in this land”

He is a blameless man , he is upright and fears

His God and hates evil in all that he hears

Satan turned to God and said with a sneer

No wonder this man has such reason to fear

You built a wall around him no one can scale

Your gifts and bribes ensure he dare not fail

In all he does you made yourself his nurse

Take it all from him and you will he curse

Then God said all he has is in your hand

Only take not his life this I command

So Satan left heaven and the face of the Lord

He knew what he would do when he got word

That the children of this man had thrown a feast

The pain he would bring would rise like yeast

The oxen were plowing and the sheep were there

When Sabeans attacked from out of nowhere

Servants fell by the edge of the sword and knife

Only one survived to speak of the loss of life

While his dark tale was being told another man came in

Telling of fire falling from heaven burning sheep and men

If that was not enough one came to tell of a Chaldean raid

killing camels and servants by the edge of the blade

With no time to absorb this news and feel his grief

A servant came to him with words beyond belief

While your childern sat in the house with their wine

A great wind struck the house killing all who came to dine

Then this great man of God while in deep despair arose

to shave his beard and in sorrow he tore his clothes

He fell on the ground and he worshipped his God

It was in deep sorrow he now knelt upon the sod

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb naked I’ll rot

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken all I’ve got

Blessed be the name of the Lord I will sing in song

In all of this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong”