Embarking on safari had me excited to see some of God’s most magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. Watching a lion stalk and devour helpless prey, however, was not something I was prepared for. It brought to mind 1 Peter 5:8 where Paul tells us the devil “prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.”
When we come to Christ, we become a target for the enemy. As evidenced in Job’s story, it’s characteristic of Satan to seek opportunities to attack us. However, it’s slightly unsettling to see God offer Job to Satan. As we read in Job 1:8: “the LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?’”
Pondering this scene produced a shift in my perspective about who God thinks I am and how I view the trials I face. God asked Satan to consider Job because He knew Job’s heart and was certain of his character. God had every confidence Job could withstand the attacks of the enemy and stay committed to God and his faith. And God believes this about us, too.
When we face trials, I imagine Satan stalking his prey, asking God’s permission to pounce. I envision God asking him to “consider my servant Cyndi,” because He has found me blameless and upright, a woman who fears God and shuns evil. When God asks me to “Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2, NIV), I can face my trials with the joy of knowing God is on my side.
When God asks Satan to consider us, He asks us to consider it joy. Let’s consider and claim victory!
