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| photo credit to National Geographic, I did not take this one. :) |
I love the story of Job.
I love how right from the beginning we know so much more than he did - and we watch, in horror and dismay as the events unfold.
It is not a tidy story. It is not "fair". But, it offers so much hope, and advice and perspective on life, godliness, and the absolute Awesomeness of God.
So many things strike me as I read that story. So. many.
Chapter 1, verse 1 tells us that "he was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil." Verse 3 lets us know that he was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
Job was a man, a righteous man.
He feared God and shunned evil.
I would imagine there were many who watched him and misunderstood him. They thought of him as self-righteous, and "holier than thou." They probably talked about him - convicted by their own sin - but casting names on him as insults because they didn't like how he seemed to have special favor with God. They were almost excited to watch him "fall".
They did not shun evil.
They were comfortable in their places of sin - and it made them less uncomfortable to imagine that he considered himself blameless because he loved righteousness. Surely he was blameless only in his own eyes.
I think in all of it, my favorite part is where God speaks in the storm. First of all, the imagery is just beautiful. Literally, chapter 38, verse 1 says that God spoke from the storm. Can you imagine what that was like? We just had a thunderstorm - a ton of rain fell from the sky. Lightening flashed and thunder bellowed. But, I did not hear the audible voice of God.
Thing is, I don't think Job really thought he was perfect. But, I love that God allows us to see that he was a man, and he struggled with the approval of man, and the pride that causes us to want everyone to know us and our hearts the way that God does. Job spoke what was right about God - even in the midst of some pretty awful circumstances and accusations. (Job 42:8)
But, Job was a man, and Job didn't handle everything perfectly. He had a pity party. (I am surely not saying he didn't have grounds for one, more than any human, but yet, it was still not the best idea). He got trapped in the need for the approval of man, and to be seen for who he really was. It is a slippery slope, indeed. He contended that he was right - not that it made God wrong, just that somehow - he and God were both right, and he was blameless.
We have the whole Bible. We knew from the very first chapter that he had not done anything "wrong" in the eyes of the Lord. He was being sifted as wheat because Satan had appeared before God - and God allowed it. God even suggested Job. God knew Job, and He knew that Job would remain faithful in the midst of the worst suffering and loss.
I can't imagine being Job. Losing everything. Being alone, really alone. Suffering even in his flesh. And then, to make matters just that much worse, his "friends" come to console him - and instead - they accuse him, and say things that aren't true. They twist it all up so that it seems that because God is right (which He always is), then that must imply that Job deserved what was happening to him. Job was angry. Job wanted the right to defend himself - to the people that ought to know better. They ought to have known him better. But, they had evil in their hearts - and they wanted him to be less righteous - because that made them more comfortable.
The first thing I think of (and this must be so small in comparison) is the time that I heard a Lion roar - and I mean really let loose - at the zoo. Fear seized my heart. We were a hundred yards from him, and separated by a great hole in the earth. But, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
| (image from truefresco.org) |
I thought we were going to die.
It was stunning. It was awe-inspiring. And it was nothing in comparison to the voice of God.
My second favorite part is where God finishes speaking and Job essentially says, "oh, my bad". He really means it. He sees very clearly his sin in defending himself, rather than God- his demanding his own glory, rather than God's. But, then something profound happens. God rebukes the "friends". In fact, He commends Job before them, and then says that He will accept Job's prayer on their (arrogant, foolish) behalf. He surely proves before them that Job had His favor and blessing all along. It makes me want to stick my tongue out at the friends and sing "nanny, nanny boo-boo" (and that reveals my folly in the sight of a Holy God.)
I love Job. I love the Holy Spirit for moving in the heart of man to write it in the Bible. I love the God of the universe that created Dragons (ch.41:1-34 esp. 18-19) and horses and storks and lightening. (ch. 38-41)
Today, I am more in love with God who has revealed so many things to us through His Word. I am surely more amazed by Him today than I was yesterday. I long to know more of His character. I long to understand more deeply that He is God and there is no one like Him.
