Job 1:1-5 (NIV)1 In the there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.4 His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.Scripture for the week: Job 1:6-8 (Full text at bottom of email.)Quote for the week: “Have you considered my servant Job?”Message: Everyone wants to be the one that the boss (or mom or teacher or…..) picks out as special. It is in our nature to want some recognition. Job has just received the ultimate recognition. The one true God, God Almighty, has picked him out of the entire population of the earth as an upright man of blameless character. WOW! This is some recognition! As we see what happens to Job maybe we do NOT want to be overly recognized! (More on that in later weeks.) The emphasis I want to look at this week is why God picked Job. While we will see his character over the next weeks and months as we journey through Job, remember the comments from last week about the foundation Job has set for his life: fear God and shun evil.Today I want to explore fearing God. The reason? This seems to be a very misunderstood concept. I grew up in a very “independent Bible church” background, where God was not my Father, but my Dad. I grew close to God because I knew He loved me and cared for me. It was not until much later in life that I saw God as my FATHER and understood the fear I should have for Him. It took a few trips to the services of some of my Catholic friends to fully understand what it meant to fear God and give Him the respect and awe He fully deserves. Many times theologians tend to try to put God in an easy-to-understand box. As we grow, we continue to find God is not easy to understand and that is why we have a lifetime on earth to prepare for our eternity with Him. God is neither a “genie in a bottle” to meet our every whim or desire, nor is He a brutal taskmaster withholding His love or ready to pounce on our every mistake. Yes, He is to be feared as the Creator of the Universe and as the being with our future in His hand; He is also to be loved and worshipped as our Abba Father (or Daddy) who loves us enough to care for our every need.Today, reflect on your fear of God. Is it consistent with Scripture? With ALL of Scripture, or simply what you have remembered from a select group of experiences? This week, dig deeper with God and see how He wants you to fear Him. And then rejoice in the fact that He does recognize you, just as He did Job, thanks to your relationship with Jesus Christ.Prayer for the week: This week pray that those who are traveling will see both the power and might of God along with the mercy and grace that He provides. Pray for those at home that they are comforted by the knowledge of God Almighty and His power over all events in life.This Week’s Scripture: Job 1:6-8 (NIV)6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD , and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”Satan answered the LORD , “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”