WHEN A FAMILY MEMBER IS SICK, CHAPTER TEN

THE man Job must surely be counted among those who enjoyed a happy family life.  The Bible calls him "the greatest of all the Orientals." He had seven sons and three daughters, ten children in all. He also had the  means  to provide well for his family.  Most important, he took the lead in spiritual activities and was concerned about his children's standing before Jehovah. All of this resulted in close and happy family ties. -Job 1:15. 

Job's situation did not escape the attention of Satan, Jehovah God's  archenemy. Satan, who is constantly looking for ways to break the integrity of God's servants, attacked Job  by destroying his happy family.  Then, he "struck Job with a malignant boil from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head."  Thus Satan hoped to use tragedy and sickness to break Job's integrity. -Job 2:6, 7.

The Bible does not give the medical designation of Job's affliction.  It does, though, tell us the symptoms.  His flesh was covered with maggots, and his skin  formed  crusts and rotted away.  Job's breath was loathsome, and his body was foul smelling.  he was racked with pain.  (Job 7:5, 19:17;30:17, 30) In agony Job sat among the ashes and scraped himself with a piece of broken earthenware. (Job 2:8)  Truly a pitiable sight! 

How would you react if you were afflicted with such a serious disease? Today, Satan does not strike God's servants with sickness as he did Job.  Still, in view of human imperfection, the stresses of daily life, and the deteriorating environment we live in, it is only  to be expected  that from time to time, family members will get sick. Despite the preventive measures that  we might take, all of us are susceptible to illness, although few will suffer to the extent that Job did.  When sickness invades our household, It can truly be a challenge. Let us therefore  see how the Bible helps us to cope with this ever-present enemy of mankind. -Ecclesiastes  9:11; 2 Timothy 3:16. 

Next time: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT?

From the book: THE SECRET OF FAMILY HAPPINESS, 1996