I

Although Job had never seen God or heard the words of God with his own ears, God had a place in Job's heart. His attitude toward God was: "blessed be Jehovah's name." His blessing of God's name was unconditional, irrespective of context, and bound to no reason. Job had given his heart to God, allowing it to be governed by God; all that he thought, all that he decided, and all that he planned in his heart was laid open to God and not closed off from God. His heart did not stand in opposition to God, and he had never asked God to do anything for him or bestow anything upon him, and he did not harbor extravagant desires that he would gain anything from his worship of God. Job did not try to make deals with God, he made no demands of God, and did not solicit anything from God. His praising of God's name was because of the great power and authority of God in holding sovereignty over all things, and it was not dependent on whether he gained blessings or received adversity.

II

Job believed that regardless of whether people receive from God blessings or adversity, God's great power and authority will not change, and regardless of a person's circumstances, God's name should be praised. That man is blessed by God is because of the sovereignty of God, and when adversity comes upon man, so, too, it is because of the sovereignty of God. God's great power and authority hold sovereignty over and arrange everything about man; the vagaries of man's fortune are the manifestation of God's great power and authority. No matter what perspective you view it from, God's name should be praised. This is what Job experienced and came to know during the years of his life.

III

All of Job's thoughts and actions reached the ears of God and arrived before God, and were valued by God. God cherished this knowledge of Job, and treasured Job for having such a heart. This heart awaited God's command always, in all places, and no matter what the time or place this heart welcomed whatever happened to him. Job made no demands of God. What he required of himself was to wait for, accept, face, and submit to all of the arrangements that came from God; Job believed this to be his duty, and it was precisely what was wanted by God.

from The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God's Work, God's Disposition, and God Himself II