And I realized - "Holy crap. My job is fun?!" So few people can say that - I am truly blessed to have such an awesome job and team to work for. Thanks Big Guy.
Reading for August 24
Job 12:1-15:35
So as I said in the previous post, through Job's eyes, we are seeing the darkest side of God in this book. In the same way that we see what God's true loving nature is really like through Jesus, we are seeing what his vengeful, and frankly, scary self is like through Job. But that's what makes this book so interesting. Think about this again from a purely literary standpoint: If you have a flawless main character, it's totally boring - but when the flaws and darkness are exposed in a character, that's when he or she becomes interesting. Those are things we latch on to because we have our own flaws to deal with.
I think an important aspect of this idea that may go overlooked is that Job is one of very few people who have experienced this side of God. Well, let me rephrase that - he is one of very few of God's followers that have experienced that side of him - obviously the enemies of the Jews in the OT had seen this. My point is in the back and forth between Job and his friends: Job keeps arguing that God is this angry, terrifying being that is just waiting to dole out more pain, but his friends continue to defend God and say "he's not like that." But they hadn't had the experience that Job had. I mean look at Job's perception of God's character:
18 "But as a mountain erodes and crumblesVerse 19 is particularly heartbreaking. I believe one of the main pillars of Christianity is hope - and for that to be destroyed by the God we're supposed to be serving must be an awful feeling. I mean a large number of Christians have this faith because of the hope it brings - because it gives us hope that our friend in the hospital might recover; that the loan just may go through; that we might be forgiven by someone we've hurt - these are the kinds of prayers that come from the deepest parts of us, and they all focus on hoping for something - hoping that God can come through with a miracle. God came through for Job in the opposite way. He ruined his life.
and as a rock is moved from its place,
19 as water wears away stones
and torrents wash away the soil,
so you destroy man's hope.
20 You overpower him once for all, and he is gone;
you change his countenance and send him away.
21 If his sons are honored, he does not know it;
if they are brought low, he does not see it.
22 He feels but the pain of his own body
and mourns only for himself."
But then you have this, which came in the previous chapter:
15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;Job's faith in God's ultimate goodness is the definition of strong. He still believes, after everything that happened, that this will still turn out for good.
I will surely [c] defend my ways to his face.
16 Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,
for no godless man would dare come before him!
I have a good friend who went through a period in his life where he was in a marriage that was clearly broken. The person he was with was unkind and he had become severely depressed for a long time. Eventually the relationship ended, but by that time a couple kids were involved. He adored these kids, but as is the case in many divorces, the mother got full custody and he was only allowed weekend visits once a month. This became a huge source of mental and emotional pain for him in subsequent years and I had talked with him on several occasions when he just seemed ruined.
However, this friend of mine is a pastor. He has given several sermons which focused on this immense pain in his life - he is able to relate these stories of suffering in the Bible back to his own life. I approached him once after he had given a particularly moving talk where he had referenced this relationship. His eyes were still glossy from the end of his talk where he had recounted some painful memories with all of us. I said
"I know that this is probably the hardest thing you've ever gone through, but look at how you've been able to use it for good." I motioned to the rest of the room of college aged hipsters who were all having solemn, serious conversations about God and relationships, which were all initiated from my friend's talk which had finished moments earlier.
God sometimes chooses us to suffer at his hand, sometimes inexplicably - as we're seeing in the case of Job. But it's what we choose to do with that suffering that makes it either our downfall or our song.
1 Corinthians 15:29-58
Gosh, Paul seems so preachy and boring after reading Job. Job feels so real and organic. Straight talk.
I'm not really feeling anything he's talkin about tonight - so I'ma move on.
Psalm 39:1-13
This psalm focuses on the idea that our lives are only a breath. In the grand scheme of things - we're here for an instant and then we're gone. Think about that. God loves you. Individually. Jesus died for you. For that sin you committed today - specifically. He also died for Mordecai and Job and King David and everyone else in the Old Testament, and for everyone who will be born fifty years from now, a thousand years from now. But he listens to your prayers. He listens to my prayers. Me. Insignificant, nothing me. Yet valuable enough for the death of a blameless man. Wow.
Proverbs 21:30-31
30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan
that can succeed against the LORD.
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the LORD.
Feelin good.
Prayer Request: A friend of mine is in the hospital in a coma. Doctors think that he will come to tomorrow, but he went into cardiac arrest yesterday and it's just a scary situation. Please pray for him and his family - his name is Matt and he is a really good guy.
Thanks.
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