Reading from Sunday, August 29

Reading from August 29
Job 31:1-33:33
So now this guy Elihu begins speaking to Job, and he's got some sensible advice, such as "pray". This is something I mentioned a few days ago where I was comparing Job to David in the Psalms. David experienced a similar loss to Job, but David came out of it pretty successful, so what's the difference? David spent almost all of his time praying for God's destruction to be lifted from him. At times it seems like God refused to answer even David, but eventually he helped him.

But Job has yet to pray to God, only complain about him and his will to his friends. Don't get me wrong, he certainly has a right to complain, but just looking at the comparison between him and David is really interesting.

It would be like if I sat behind you in class and I kept flicking your ear. And instead of asking me to stop, you complain to the person next to you about how annoying it is. I don't know how annoying it is. In the same way, I think that it's possible that God doesn't understand the suffering that Job is going through. I mean he came to Earth in Jesus' form to experience suffering for the first time - so one would assume that before Jesus, he had no concept of human loss or sadness.

2 Corinthians 3:1-18
Gettin sleepy

⁷Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, ⁸will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?

Psalm 43:1-5
This is a perfect example of what Job could have done:

 ^1[a] Vindicate me, O God,
       and plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
       rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.
 ² You are God my stronghold.
       Why have you rejected me?
       Why must I go about mourning,
       oppressed by the enemy?

Pray and it goes away.

Proverbs 22:8-9

 ⁸ He who sows wickedness reaps trouble,
       and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
 ⁹ A generous man will himself be blessed,
       for he shares his food with the poor.

And sleepy time.