Hello again! Today concludes part 2 of job before the good news and hope for Job (and us) comes into the mix. It can totally be exhausting to read such grim scripture, but it's also a humbling moment to think of those that exist in the grim, shackled by depression, anxiety, and PTSD. We lift up a special prayer for those who fight this now.
Scripture to Read
Audio Bible
Questions to Consider
What does this teach me about God? (Even in our perceived silence of God, there is revelation)
What does this teach me about humanity? (individual and corporate?)
Is Job's closing argument for his innocence convincing?
- My Thoughts -
A number of times Job (and other Psalmists) have written the words "I cry to you God, but you do not answer." I've always just breezed by this words without much thought but today I felt stuck on them. Have you ever felt like Job calling out to God and feeling as if God had not replied to you? I'm sure you have at some time or another. But, in the stillness of your soul I think you can also say back to yourself: "That's not the God I know. The God I know is personable, compassionate, and loving."
It comes as little surprise to anyone that trying to process and accept God's timing on things is...frustrating, to say the least. We long for the kingdom of peace while still witnessing actions of war, we trust in the days where death is no more as we watch children die of horrible disease, and walk faithfully towards on our own promised land of milk and honey while trying triaging which bills to pay this month so nothing gets shut off. "I cry to you God, but you do not answer." But that's not necessarily true, is it? While wars and conflicts would take the lives of 70 million just 80 years ago in WW2, the ongoing conflict in Iraq has killed ~ 300,000 since 2001. Still, it's too many to have 300,000 be killed, but it's way better than 70 million. Childhood mortality rate has dropped by a significant margin with the advancement in medicine and in general the US economy has been on the rise since 2008, the pandemic aside of course. So, is God really ignoring us or just operating on a time table that we cannot process or understand?
The book of job calls us as the old hymn says "trust and obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey." So, as hard as it might seem, stay encouraged friends and know that God is listening, always!
Prayer
Our prayer today comes from hymn 147 in our United Methodist hymnal - All Things Bright and Beautiful. I encourage you to hum, sing, or pray along with the words.