As we feel the pain of losing our son, we sometimes look at one another and say, “We don’t have it as bad as Job did. He lost everything – all his sons and daughters and all his wealth and even his health.” Does God ever tell Job why this happened? What is it that the Lord is saying to Job when he finally speaks? “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.” Job 38:4 The Lord goes on describing creation, from the universe to the living creatures and plants he placed on the earth. Then he goes on to say to Job, “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?” Job 40:2
Job suffered much. And while we have the ‘prologue’ that tells us about the conversation between Satan and God, there is still never an answer as to why God allowed this to happen. And I wonder – do we really believe that God just allowed himself to be goaded by Satan to put Job through all this suffering? What good could possibly come from this? Is that how God takes care of those who follow his commands and worship him?
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:13 “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called the oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” Isaiah 61:1-3
How many people have gone to the book of Job looking for answers when they are in pain? If Job had never suffered, there would be no book of Job. Could it be that God was taking Satan’s ‘bright idea’ and using it to his glory?
What about the cross that Jesus suffered and died on? Did God turn his face away from the world he created and from his one and only Son? This very horrible tragedy (an innocent, righteous and perfect man was killed in a horribly painful way) was used to God’s glory and purpose in giving to us a plan for salvation – a way to reconcile and restore the human race to their Creator. If God can use an atrocity like that to his glory, could he not use Job’s suffering to his honor and glory? Can he not use my suffering to his honor and glory?
What then? Do I deny my pain and suffering? I think not… But I take my pain and suffering, my mourning and my grieving to the One who “binds up the brokenhearted… and comforts all who mourn,” and I look for the “crown of beauty” and the “oil of gladness” and I put on the “garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” Isaiah 61 Jesus said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:21 I go to the One who knows pain and suffering, the One who chose to not call on the angels and avoid the cross, the One who provides me with “living water” and restores peace to my soul.
I’ve learned from Job that I don’t need to have an answer to the “why” but rather I will continue to worship and praise the God who created and has ownership and power over his Creation. He is the one with true wisdom and he is the one who will use everything – even my pain and suffering – to his glory and honor. Because of Jesus, I can look forward to spending eternity with him and with our son who was taken home to eternity sooner than we expected.
Our plans have been changed and there is a big hole in our lives… but I wait expectantly to see what God is doing and will continue to do. Already we see people turning their faces toward God, accepting the grace offered them, and looking forward to joining Andrew in heaven. “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” John 12:24 I truly believe heaven is rejoicing and Andrew is dancing with joy as he watches more and more souls finding their peace with God.
Apparently God has a few more things for me to do on this earth before I can join them in heaven. So my goal is to use every breath he gives me, every day to praise our God in heaven and share his Good News with others – to be a living testimony to the “goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” That’s my promise to God. And God’s promise to me is, “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8 and “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:2
Jesus was walking toward the boat containing his disciples – on water. “’Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.” Matthew 14:28-31a I feel a bit like Peter – I’ve left the safety of my boat. But my confidence is in Christ. If I keep my eyes on him and not my circumstances (the water I am walking on and the wind that is blowing me), I will be able to continue this journey safely. And if I look away for a moment and begin to sink as I think about my circumstances, I trust Jesus will reach out his hand and catch me.
We serve an awesome God. He is the Creator of the universe and all that is in it – including our son and including me – and he has sovereign power over all of it and can use it to his purposes. I am filled with wonder and amazed and humbled by his grace. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Showing posts with label The Book of Job. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Book of Job. Show all posts
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Thursday, May 13, 2010
God, Are You There?
How does God interact with his creation? And specifically, how does God interact with the human race? Did he put everything in motion and then walk away and let it go? Is he concerned with me?
Job and his friends work on these questions and more in the book of Job. It was a common belief that good things happen to the good and bad things happen to the bad. Many people think much that way today as well. It follows then that when something bad happens to you, you must have done something bad. Job’s friends are very sure of this and they pound Job with his need to repent. But throughout their discourse, Job maintains that he is innocent – that he hasn’t done anything deserving of this hardship that has come upon him.
Though much of what is said by his friends is ‘hot air’, we find them also recognizing God’s greatness in creating the world and the universe. These friends are astonished by Job’s boldness in asking for a hearing with God. They are sure he will be struck by lightning. Their view of God is a judge meting out sentences based on the behaviors of individuals. Therefore, it is obvious to them that Job has messed up big time. That is why he is being punished.
Job has had a good relationship with God up to this point. His view of God is a wise, loving, forgiving God who is his friend. He doesn’t understand why God has stepped back from him. And he demands to be heard and be able to state his case. At one point, he attributes all the things Satan has done to him to God asking why he is doing this to him (Job 19:1-20).
As I listen to Job’s well-meaning friends babble on, I wonder how they can be so hard on him. They are filled with platitudes and they desire for him to confess and get things right with God so God will withdraw his judgment on him. Uh-oh… I wonder how many times I have spouted platitudes to friends in need of encouragement. I wonder how many times I have misjudged the situation thinking I know why they are in the difficulty they are in and that if they would repent, they could get out of the mess.
Job, in the midst of all this hardship and even wishing he were never born, still breaks out in a strong faith statement. “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 yearns within me! Job 19:25-27 He longs for his close friendship with God to be restored.
After the friends have all had their say and Job denies their accusations, God shows up. “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” Job 38:4 And, “Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it?” Job 38:12-13 What a colorful word picture of God and his creation!
I wonder if I were in Job’s place if I would be shrinking in my own estimation of myself as God describes creation and all that he does. For instance, he describes the storehouses of the snow and hail. Recently, it dawned on me just how efficiently and cost effective God is at moving water around on the earth. Have you ever thought about how much energy and resources it would take us to move even one good cloud’s worth of water? And he can get it to places we don’t have roads, railroads or any other access to as well. Awesome!
Then God asks a hard question, “Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Job 40:8 Ouch! Anytime I question God’s sovereignty I am doing just this – thinking I am wiser than God – justifying myself. Along with Job, I find myself repenting, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know… Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 52:3b; 6
God, what can I say? You are totally awesome! You created the world and all that is in it. It all belongs to you and you have complete authority over it. Who am I to question you or your methods? I am humbled by your greatness and even more humbled by your mercy. Thank you for your love and your grace. May I never forget these things but rather, help me to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with you, my God (Micah 6:8).
Job and his friends work on these questions and more in the book of Job. It was a common belief that good things happen to the good and bad things happen to the bad. Many people think much that way today as well. It follows then that when something bad happens to you, you must have done something bad. Job’s friends are very sure of this and they pound Job with his need to repent. But throughout their discourse, Job maintains that he is innocent – that he hasn’t done anything deserving of this hardship that has come upon him.
Though much of what is said by his friends is ‘hot air’, we find them also recognizing God’s greatness in creating the world and the universe. These friends are astonished by Job’s boldness in asking for a hearing with God. They are sure he will be struck by lightning. Their view of God is a judge meting out sentences based on the behaviors of individuals. Therefore, it is obvious to them that Job has messed up big time. That is why he is being punished.
Job has had a good relationship with God up to this point. His view of God is a wise, loving, forgiving God who is his friend. He doesn’t understand why God has stepped back from him. And he demands to be heard and be able to state his case. At one point, he attributes all the things Satan has done to him to God asking why he is doing this to him (Job 19:1-20).
As I listen to Job’s well-meaning friends babble on, I wonder how they can be so hard on him. They are filled with platitudes and they desire for him to confess and get things right with God so God will withdraw his judgment on him. Uh-oh… I wonder how many times I have spouted platitudes to friends in need of encouragement. I wonder how many times I have misjudged the situation thinking I know why they are in the difficulty they are in and that if they would repent, they could get out of the mess.
Job, in the midst of all this hardship and even wishing he were never born, still breaks out in a strong faith statement. “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 yearns within me! Job 19:25-27 He longs for his close friendship with God to be restored.
After the friends have all had their say and Job denies their accusations, God shows up. “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” Job 38:4 And, “Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it?” Job 38:12-13 What a colorful word picture of God and his creation!
I wonder if I were in Job’s place if I would be shrinking in my own estimation of myself as God describes creation and all that he does. For instance, he describes the storehouses of the snow and hail. Recently, it dawned on me just how efficiently and cost effective God is at moving water around on the earth. Have you ever thought about how much energy and resources it would take us to move even one good cloud’s worth of water? And he can get it to places we don’t have roads, railroads or any other access to as well. Awesome!
Then God asks a hard question, “Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Job 40:8 Ouch! Anytime I question God’s sovereignty I am doing just this – thinking I am wiser than God – justifying myself. Along with Job, I find myself repenting, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know… Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 52:3b; 6
God, what can I say? You are totally awesome! You created the world and all that is in it. It all belongs to you and you have complete authority over it. Who am I to question you or your methods? I am humbled by your greatness and even more humbled by your mercy. Thank you for your love and your grace. May I never forget these things but rather, help me to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with you, my God (Micah 6:8).
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