THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2014
Job 1:1–3:26
1 Corinthians 14:1–17
Psalm 37:12–29
Proverbs 21:25,26
As we turn to the Book of Job, several key elements have jumped out to me:
1. God maintained sovereignty over even Job’s suffering. God did not find Himself surprised or overwhelmed by Satan’s request. Instead, He willfully allowed these challenges to come upon Job and His family and set the boundaries for this cosmic battle.
2. God displayed confidence in Job’s faithfulness, but ultimately God’s character – and not Job’s – came into question. Would Job remain faithful in the midst of this onslaught? Would God’s promises hold for him in this sea of trouble?
3. Job initially reacts by praising God. To the surprise and dismay of his wife, Job reasons, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” He remembers God’s faithfulness in the storm. He maintains the choice of trusting or not trusting and responds in faith.
4. Sometimes, a multitude of words leads us nowhere. The third and forthcoming chapters speak in circles and provide some confusing statements. Trying to make sense of tragedy without reference to God’s sovereignty will prove impossible. We must look at circumstance through a Biblical lens and remember that God is always capable and compassionate. We also should avoid speaking authoritatively on others’ experiences or the consequences of their actions.
5. The logic that our suffering stems from our or others’ sin or shortcomings persists to this day. God desires long-term faithfulness in His servants and seeks to develop our character through life experience, particularly suffering. According to Romans 5:3,4, “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” In speaking about God’s discipline through suffering, the author of Hebrews explains that, even as God’s Son, Jesus “learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him… ” (5:8,9)
Lord God, open our eyes to understand more of Your heart and character through the Book of Job. Guide our hearts into a deeper understanding of how You would like to respond to suffering and setbacks. Give us the grace to honor and praise You first, choosing to trust You in spite of temptations to the contrary. Help us also to be loving friends and good (listening) counsel for those who are hurting. In Jesus’s Name, amen.
As an aside, did you notice in the Book of Esther how God worked through the wills and desires of both King Xerxes and Haman to bring about the Jews’ redemption? Both Xerxes and Haman sought the counsel of others and made key decisions – to install a replacement to Queen Vashti and the building of the gallows – through these “delightful” suggestions.
Mordecai trusted in His Redeemer but prudently feared the potential destruction of His people. In this vein, I found Mordecai’s faith and charge to Esther as quite encouraging and stirring: “Do not think that, because you are in the king’s house, you alone of all the Jews will escape. For, if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” Following God involves answering the challenges of life by seeking God’s best and the good of His people, even when it will prove personally costly.
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