Hi friends! Thanks again to everyone that joined in for our discussion last night. I invite you to send me your thoughts and suggestions on how to improve our discussion or if there are any particular questions you would like to discuss next time around. Today we press on in Job as he continues his debates with his friends about the nature of suffering and his defense against God.
Scripture to Read
Audio Bible
Questions to Consider
What does this teach me about God?
What does this teach me about humanity?
What does this reveal to me about suffering and how we process it?
- My Thoughts -
Much like yesterday I admit that I love how the two scriptures almost speak to one another. Job continues his conversations with his friends and his accusations against God and the Psalmists pens one of the most infamous psalms ever when they write "Happy are those that smash our enemies babies against rocks." Geez. You good, bro?
But psalms like this are honest. We might not want to admit it but we've all been fired up and said something along the lines of "I'll kill them!" You know deep down you would never do that, but your body needed to expel that rising anger and you let it out in one loud shout. Your anger in those cases is most often rooted in some pain you are processing. A cheating spouse, an abusive partner, a doctor who made the wrong call and committed malpractice for a loved one, or a kid that broke your kids heart. For people like Job, the psalmist in Babylon, and yes even you and me, we discover in the scripture that God is not the cause of suffering, but God also doesn't prevent suffering. That suffering is a part of life. That moments of extreme anger, heartbreak, fear, and isolation will overwhelm us...yes as often as emotions like joy, love, comfort and security will as well. It's easy to be disgusted by scriptures like Job and Psalm 137, but in my opinion, I find comfort in the solidarity that others feel the way I do too, sometimes.
I'll share more on what I think the fault of Job's friends are in tomorrows post.
Prayer
Dang, yet another perfect hymn to go with today's reading. Today we hum, sing, and/or pray the words of hymn number 142 in our United Methodist hymnal - If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee. Lyrics found in and below the video.
1. If thou but suffer God to guide thee,
and hope in God through all thy ways,
God will give strength, whate'er betide thee,
and bear thee through the evil days.
Who trusts in God's unchanging love
builds on the rock that naught can move.
2. Only be still, and wait God's leisure
in cheerful hope, with heart content
to take whate'er thy Maker's pleasure
and all-discerning love hath sent;
we know our inmost wants are known,
for we are called to be God's own.
3. Sing, pray, and keep God's ways unswerving;
so do thine own part faithfully,
and trust God's word; though undeserving,
thou yet shalt find it true for thee.
God never yet forsook at need
the soul that trusted God indeed.