September 15 Reading (Job 25-31)
Bildad tries to soften his remarks by reminding Job that everyone is a schmuck! Job still will not relent on his position that he has not sinned. "I will not deny my integrity. I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live."
In chapter 29, I see Job answering some of the alligations from earlier in the readings. He lays his claim how how "good" and "righteous" he was. This only leads him to lament about how bad he has it now. Why is it that our minds often think back to the "good ol' days." I find, too, that our memory is usually softer than reality. Was it really as good as I remember it to me?? Likely not.
Job ends this long reading with a clear defense of his position. This is his closing arguement. Have you ever just wanted to be heard? That's Job. He just wants to know that God is listening. He wants justice. "Prove me wrong, God!" is what he is declaring.
I'm connecting well with Job and realize that he is living his faith out in very practical and powerful ways. Much better than I am. My faith pales in comparison to his ...
Friday, November 21, 2008
September 14 Reading (Job 22-24)
This reading was much of the same. I noticed that Eliphaz waged some pretty serious aligations against Job that Job never addresses. Interesting.
The other thought that struck me was that Job has a pretty sombered approach to humanity ... lot's of talk about how we are going to be eaten by worms and such ... pretty gruesome!
This reading was much of the same. I noticed that Eliphaz waged some pretty serious aligations against Job that Job never addresses. Interesting.
The other thought that struck me was that Job has a pretty sombered approach to humanity ... lot's of talk about how we are going to be eaten by worms and such ... pretty gruesome!
September 12-13 Readings (Job 15-21)
Some of the coolest sections of Job are in these chapters ...
"Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend." I'm amazed my this view point of God. I actually believe that Job has been given a vision of the Messiah ... Jesus ... as he serves as our "High Priest" going to the Father on our behalf.
"I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes - I, and not another. How my heart years within me!" I want this kind of faith! I now can see why God told Satan that he could mess with Job ... he could handle it! His faith is rock solid and this statement is a beautiful expression of his understanding of God's future deliverance!
Some of the coolest sections of Job are in these chapters ...
"Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend." I'm amazed my this view point of God. I actually believe that Job has been given a vision of the Messiah ... Jesus ... as he serves as our "High Priest" going to the Father on our behalf.
"I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes - I, and not another. How my heart years within me!" I want this kind of faith! I now can see why God told Satan that he could mess with Job ... he could handle it! His faith is rock solid and this statement is a beautiful expression of his understanding of God's future deliverance!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
September 11 Reading (Job 11-14)
Friend #3 ... Zophar ... he doesn't buy into Job's "holiness" speech. He is convinced beyond reason that God only condemns the sinners and if Job is getting knocked around this bad, he had lot's of sin in his life to deserve it. I'm finding that in a perfect world, I like the advice I'm hearing from Job's friends. "Yet if you devote your heart to him ... you will stand firm and without fear." There is good stuff here ... but this argue is muted when we come back to reality. Good people get cancer for no reason. Good people are in car accidents and suffer great loss. Good people lose the jobs and struggle to find work. Good and God fearing people!! That's what makes their arguements not worth the paper they are written on. We need to be careful not to use such reasoning in the advice we give to be people as well.
"Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him; Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance, for no godless man would dare come before Him."
Friend #3 ... Zophar ... he doesn't buy into Job's "holiness" speech. He is convinced beyond reason that God only condemns the sinners and if Job is getting knocked around this bad, he had lot's of sin in his life to deserve it. I'm finding that in a perfect world, I like the advice I'm hearing from Job's friends. "Yet if you devote your heart to him ... you will stand firm and without fear." There is good stuff here ... but this argue is muted when we come back to reality. Good people get cancer for no reason. Good people are in car accidents and suffer great loss. Good people lose the jobs and struggle to find work. Good and God fearing people!! That's what makes their arguements not worth the paper they are written on. We need to be careful not to use such reasoning in the advice we give to be people as well.
"Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him; Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance, for no godless man would dare come before Him."
September 10 Reading (Job 8-10)
Today it's friend #2's chance at Job ... Bildad weighs his thoughts. Right away, Bildad's words cut like a knife at Job. My interpretation ... "Dude, your kids were sinful brats and they got what they deserved. Now get up, humble yourself and you'll get back on your feet." However, I will say that those words are pretty common ... but not what Job wants to hear I'm guessing. Bildad's words also speak of the blind faithfulness that I believe trips many people up. God does "fill our mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy"; however, God also allows calamity to come to the just and the unjust. God is NOT some giver of only good to the good people and evil only to the evil people. It's not that easy. Bildad's approach to God is more mechanical than reality.
Job's response is beautiful. He clearly understands the depth of God's sovereignty. Who can argue with God? "IF it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who will summon him?" Job clearly understands the role of man in God's world.
"If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,' I still dread my sufferings." I believe this is what many of us try to do ... forget our pain and put on a smile. But eventually we break. Job understands that there is no sense in covering up our expression. There is no value in hiding our feelings (especially toward God himself).
Today it's friend #2's chance at Job ... Bildad weighs his thoughts. Right away, Bildad's words cut like a knife at Job. My interpretation ... "Dude, your kids were sinful brats and they got what they deserved. Now get up, humble yourself and you'll get back on your feet." However, I will say that those words are pretty common ... but not what Job wants to hear I'm guessing. Bildad's words also speak of the blind faithfulness that I believe trips many people up. God does "fill our mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy"; however, God also allows calamity to come to the just and the unjust. God is NOT some giver of only good to the good people and evil only to the evil people. It's not that easy. Bildad's approach to God is more mechanical than reality.
Job's response is beautiful. He clearly understands the depth of God's sovereignty. Who can argue with God? "IF it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who will summon him?" Job clearly understands the role of man in God's world.
"If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,' I still dread my sufferings." I believe this is what many of us try to do ... forget our pain and put on a smile. But eventually we break. Job understands that there is no sense in covering up our expression. There is no value in hiding our feelings (especially toward God himself).
September 9 Reading (Job 4-7)
Today's reading is the first time we see Job state his case, his first friend Eliphaz replies, and Job responds to his words. I've come to realize once again that poetry and Terry don't go together very well. This is a tough read for me since it's written with such eloquence. No doubt, you can experience the level of Job's dispare in these words. You can hear his pain and confusion. I'm struck that instead of demanding justice (which we often do) Job accepts what has happened to him and simply asks to die (in an effort to remove the pain).
He is left with a perplexing question ... "What is man that you make so much of him, that you give him so much attention?" Have you ever wondered that? Have you ever doubted that God even knows about you or gives you "attention"? Job says this because he just wants to be left alone ... but ultimately, down deep inside, he realizes an amazing trait about the Almighty ... He is aware of Job ... the Lord is aware of what Job is going through ... the eyes of the Lord God are on him ... and I believe somewhere ... down deep in Job's spirit ... that comforts him.
Today's reading is the first time we see Job state his case, his first friend Eliphaz replies, and Job responds to his words. I've come to realize once again that poetry and Terry don't go together very well. This is a tough read for me since it's written with such eloquence. No doubt, you can experience the level of Job's dispare in these words. You can hear his pain and confusion. I'm struck that instead of demanding justice (which we often do) Job accepts what has happened to him and simply asks to die (in an effort to remove the pain).
He is left with a perplexing question ... "What is man that you make so much of him, that you give him so much attention?" Have you ever wondered that? Have you ever doubted that God even knows about you or gives you "attention"? Job says this because he just wants to be left alone ... but ultimately, down deep inside, he realizes an amazing trait about the Almighty ... He is aware of Job ... the Lord is aware of what Job is going through ... the eyes of the Lord God are on him ... and I believe somewhere ... down deep in Job's spirit ... that comforts him.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
September 8 Reading (Job 1-3)
If I weren't depressed reading about the exile, now I get to read about Job's troubles! Yeah! I wish now that Job would have been placed in the more traditional spot of near the front of our reading. Many scholars believe that the Job narrative actually takes place more during the time of Abram. In either case ... 10 days of Job ... here we go!
A couple of observations about our opening scene:
1) Job loved his children and was willing to sacrifice for them with a grateful heart.
2) Satan is limited in time and space ... he is a created being ... not diety
3) Satan could do nothing outside of the parameters that God established. He didn't ask for
more ... he knows that God is the one who sets the rules.
Job's perspective is radically different than King Nebuchadnezzar's in our previous story. He starts this ordeal by saying "The Lord have and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." Perspective.
Job and his wife do not see eye to eye on their journey ... the wife is ready to give up. Even as Job's own life experience worsens, she can't stand his faithfulness and steadfastness. In many ways, she is used to work against him just like the sores on his skin and his broken heart.
Finally, Job is broken and he settles into the beginning stages of a depression ... wishing his life would have never begun ... I can understand why.
If I weren't depressed reading about the exile, now I get to read about Job's troubles! Yeah! I wish now that Job would have been placed in the more traditional spot of near the front of our reading. Many scholars believe that the Job narrative actually takes place more during the time of Abram. In either case ... 10 days of Job ... here we go!
A couple of observations about our opening scene:
1) Job loved his children and was willing to sacrifice for them with a grateful heart.
2) Satan is limited in time and space ... he is a created being ... not diety
3) Satan could do nothing outside of the parameters that God established. He didn't ask for
more ... he knows that God is the one who sets the rules.
Job's perspective is radically different than King Nebuchadnezzar's in our previous story. He starts this ordeal by saying "The Lord have and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." Perspective.
Job and his wife do not see eye to eye on their journey ... the wife is ready to give up. Even as Job's own life experience worsens, she can't stand his faithfulness and steadfastness. In many ways, she is used to work against him just like the sores on his skin and his broken heart.
Finally, Job is broken and he settles into the beginning stages of a depression ... wishing his life would have never begun ... I can understand why.
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