I am potty about my daughter…
I love the bones of her (as scousers say.) It seems Job felt the same.
I know I said that I would be blogging about money and I promise I will… but I had to just write a few thoughts down after a time I had with God today.
I was sitting in my prayer chair and thinking about the character of Job and ending up reading the last chapter of that book in the Bible. I found it totally fascinating that he called his three girls such interesting names. And that he chose NOT to tell us the names of all 7 of his sons… Very unusual in that culture!

Jemima, Keziah and Keren-Happuch were the names of his famous daughters. Job 42: 15 declares that there were no other women in all the land as beautiful as them. (My Esther wasn’t born then you see:)
So, what do their names mean?

I’ll tell you!
Jemima means ‘Dove’, Keziah means “cinnamon” and Keren- Happuch means ‘container of eyeshadow.”

Now, these are not names that seem to fit together. He didn’t call them ‘Faith Hope and Glory’ or ‘ Bacon Lettuce and Tomato.’ These are three completely different entities… so what is their significance?

I guess if you look hard you can see glimpses of something really quite special. The symbol of the dove is often a sign of the Trinity or a symbol of peace. The use of cinnamon or Cassia is mentioned in scripture in Psalm 45 describing Jesus, “All your garments smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia – out of the ivory places where they have made you glad.”

Thirdly the container of eyeshadow is interesting. The eyeshadow is thought to be a red pigment used on eyes and lips…

Fitting together the names of these daughters could well be seen as a living sermon: those who have the gift of peace, who smell of the fragrance of God and are adorned with his blood… in other words: the CHURCH!

Isn’t this what we are too? Don’t these daughter’s names tell a wonderful story that we too share? They are part of Job’s healing and the mercy shown on him by God at the end of his long trial.

Unusually too these daughters also go on to inherit some land to own along with their brothers.

What is the inheritance that God is bringing your way?

What does He want you to be like today?

The presence of peace in a difficult situation?
The beauty of his fragrance in a dirty world?
The adornment of his blood in a world of sin?

All of the above probably.

Thank you Job for your lovely daughters and the picture they give us of God’s character and blessings. Thank you God for all of our children. May they be a fragrant offering in this world and a reminder to everyone they meet of Your truth and Your grace. Amen.

(You may or may not know that “Job’s daughters” is the name of an international organisation of Masonic Youth. Be aware that any further research on the Biblical understanding of Job’s daughters names may inadvertently bring up many pieces of information about this group.)