Scripture Passage For Today
35 “If only someone would listen to me!
Look, I will sign my name to my defense.
Let the Almighty answer me.
Let my accuser write out the charges against me.
36 I would face the accusation proudly.
I would wear it like a crown.
37 For I would tell him exactly what I have done.
I would come before him like a prince.
(Job 31:35-37 NLT)
Observation
Here’s the bottom line for Job: “Oh, that the Almighty would listen and respond!”
In chapter 29 (from yesterday’s reading) and chapters 30 and 31, Job summarizes his life to this point. Early on and for an extended time, Job experienced great success and great respect—and managed it well. He took advantage of the opportunities his wealth and stature afforded him to meet the needs of others and to make a positive difference in people’s lives.
But now, all the outer evidence of success has been taken away, and with it, the respect and stature Job once enjoyed. Job has instead become an object of ridicule—someone to be mocked and scorned.
In all this, Job asserts (contrary to the opinion of his comforters) that there isn’t some hidden or unconfessed sin at the root of his troubles. To the contrary, Job declares without reservation that he has lived uprightly. His words are strong, and challenge the mediocre righteousness most of us seem to satisfy ourselves with.
What Job feels, it seems to me, is distance. And what Job wants is simply an audience with the King! It’s only my opinion (but it is, as someone has said, *my* opinion, and I value it highly!)…it’s only my opinion, but I think even more than vindication, Job simply wants connection.
Job certainly believes he’ll be vindicated, but what seems most lost to Job is that bond, that union, that relationship with God that once seemed so intimate and now seems so distant.
Again today I rejoice that what Job longed for is met in Christ. Not that there won’t be challenging times and “dry seasons” in our walk with Christ, but that in Christ, God has reached so powerfully to humanity…reached to us in a way that identifies with and brings healing to our brokenness, in a way that brings intimacy to our fellowship, in a way that gives us place—by His grace—to “come before him like a prince”! (Job 34:37 NLT).
6 comments:
You know Pastor, Job is hard to read. I feel that he is just wanting a awnser to what he has done wrong. He is feeling very lost as I am to with why Job had this done to him. Before Job lost everything it seemed like he was the "Big Cheese" on campus. He gave, he took care of, he was not selfish with his possessions, he did everything he could for people that needed help and people that didnt need help and also gave God what was his and praised Him. It is just confusing me that isnt this what God wants us to do and then he allowed satan to take everything away from him. Job speaks harshly and he knows he has done nothing wrong. When we started to read Job you told me to look at the big picture of what i was thinking. I am and i still feel confused a little. I have my struggles and I feel that God sometimes forgets about me and I start to say why me? I need to stop being so selfish and look at what God has already done for me and be greatfull for what He has done. I do want a relationship, a bond with God. I dont want to feel distant in my walk with HIm. I want to feel him in my heart all the time! Its just so confusing sometimes though.
It seems that Job has certainly "examined" himself and feels he is upright in his ways and I agree that the loss of closeness that he had with God, must have been his greatest loss. It does seems at those very hard times are when we feel distant and cut off, and know that also, is the time when we must go back to what we know to be true, that we have a Savior who loves us always and is always with us even when we don't feel him. Jesus certainly did that for us and knowing that will carry us thru the challenging times if we don't give up and lose heart. I love the knowing "I know that my redeemer liveth" what an encouragement that was on sun and and in the readings.
It must have hurt Job deeply to want God so much to connect with him again to hear from God and your right Pastor we do have dry seasons in our walk with God. I need to remember that God is always there with us and He gives us grace and mercy.Praise God.
Living in Kansas, I have wondered if people who live continuously in warm climates appreciate the Spring. When we (in KS) are in the dead of winter, and everything is drab and barren, we know that Spring is coming. When it comes, we experience an inner joy because of the newness of life.
Sometimes I think that that is why God allows us to have times when we don't feel His presence or see Him moving in our lives. We know that things will change and He will draw us back into the knowledge of His presence. We will once again be assured, He was there working all of the time in the background of our lives, waiting for us to respond in faith. We will be able to look back and see that His love was with us all of the time. We will appreciate the closeness and joy that we feel at the present time even better.
Joey (and anyone else who cares to read along)...
Yep, Job is hard to read--I think *both* because of the verbose, poetic language that demands some analysis and interpretation (I'm not too poetic a guy) *and more so* because Job struggles with hard questions. It is, Joey, exactly as you write--Job did give, take care of, was not selfish with his possessions. Why would God not honor that with even additional blessings? It really is the question of "why do bad things happen to good people?" About the only answer the book of Job gives is that there's always more to the story than we know--Job was *not* aware of the conversations between God and Satan described in the opening verses--nor are *we* ever aware of the whole story, and won't be until eternity (at which point it probably won't matter nearly so much). But--as we'll see--though the question of why bad things happen to good people isn't answered )as it's asked, anyway), Job does ultimately get an answer--and a satisfying one. So keep reading...keep plugging away. Ultimately, it's worth the time and energy it takes to "make the hike". :)
And P.S.--though I don't often comment on comments, just know that I read every one and enjoy them more than you'll ever know!
Pastor and All, Okay here's my thought . Again! Most of you know about my daughter, Or, at least, some of you do. I won't go into all the stuff about how she died, but she died in 1994. I wasn't christian then and All I could do was rant and rave about how unfair it was to have lost her. It WAS unfair, and I made it even more unfair, by making my wife and daughter put up with me. The more time past the lower I sank in my depression. Every day was a new loss for me. Just like Job. Drove my wife away, with my step daughter. Drove my son away. Alienated my friends at work. Lower and lower i sunk, till i finally hit bottom. I sat in an empty house (on a Lawn Chair) and watched TV waiting for the courage to end my life. I was not at the bottom of the barrel I was under it. And then God came to me and asked me if I wanted to be healed. He didn't say What he would heal me of, or how he would do it or when he would do it. He didn't tell me I had to dunk 7 times in the lake or any other ritual, he just plainly asked me if I wanted to be Healed. And for once in my life I had no other THINGS blocking my desire to change my life, so I said Yes. One week later i was back on the lawn chair watching Promise keepers on TV(Another good story) when I realized I was no longer depressed. My life started right then to get better. First thing I did was receive Jesus as my lord and savior and seek the body of Christ, by Joining a church and being babtised. My point in all this is, Sometimes we have to fall all the way to the bottom before We can start getting back up again. Not that Job had to himself, But Maybe his fall was just an example for all of us who trip later on in life. Praise God!!!
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