The Joy of Glory

Discovering endless joy in the boundless glory of God…

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March 24, 2014

Lent Devotional: Job 8

Job 8 (click here)
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: 2 “How long will you say these things, and the words of your mouth be a great wind? 3 Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert the right? 4 If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression.” (Job 8:1-4)

Reflection
Bildad’s problem is that he is right! God does not pervert justice! The Almighty does not pervert the right! Bildad’s theology is correct…but he makes the grave mistake of assuming that he can see the whole picture of what is going on with Job and that leads him to horribly, wrongly apply his right beliefs!

Bildad cannot imagine a universe beyond what he can see…a world in which God has more information and wisdom than he does. In his mind Job’s suffering must be direct punishment for some sin or that would make God unjust. This leads him to say foolish things to his suffering friend…such as, “Your kids must have sinned and received what they deserved!”

Could a worse thing be said to this bereaved father? All too often, we have correct beliefs that lead us to say foolish things amidst suffering because we believe we have the full picture when we simply do not. We must always remember there is a heavenly perspective that goes beyond us and we cannot possibly know all that God is doing in any given situation.

Before we attempt to advise anyone who is suffering, we would do well to recall Paul’s words in Romans 11:33, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”

*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

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March 22, 2014

Lent Devotional: Job 4-5

Job 4-5 (click here)
Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off? 8 As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. (Job 4:7-8)

Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. 18 For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal. (Job 5:17-18)

Reflection
Flat, overly-simplified theology is dangerous. The world is complex, we are complex, situations are complex…things are not as simple as they seem. All too often we take something that is true and apply it in a very flat/rigid manner that Scripture simply will not allow.

This is the fault of Eliphaz (and the rest of Job’s friends). The basic truth he latches onto is that God punishes the wicked and upholds the righteous. We know that to be true, but the way in which that truth plays out in life is very complex. Eliphaz attempts to apply it in a very flat, overly-simplified way. Job is suffering…God punishes the wicked…therefore Job must have done something wrong and is being punished as a result.

Eliphaz offers an equally simple solution. Job needs to repent and God will bind up his wounds and heal him…restore him. The situation seems very cut and dry. Yet, we know that Job is not suffering as a result of sin. There is no punishment present. This is innocent suffering. Eliphaz has no category for that.

Innocent suffering does not undo the truth that God punishes the wicked and upholds the righteous…for God will uphold his justice, but in his time and his way. He works from an eternal perspective that we simply cannot see.

This is why we, like Job, must walk by faith…trusting God. When it comes to our pain and the pain of others…we must avoid simple diagnoses and prescriptions.  Job knows that he does not “deserve” his present suffering. God must be doing something other than “punishing” him. God must have a deeper purpose, for he does not allow any of our pain to be meaningless no matter how senseless it feels to us (2 Cor 4:17).


*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

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March 21, 2014

Lent Devotional: Job 3

Job 3 (click here)
Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul, 21 who long for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures, 22 who rejoice exceedingly and are glad when they find the grave? 23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? 24 For my sighing comes instead of my bread, and my groanings are poured out like water. 25 For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. 26 I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, but trouble comes. (Job 3:20-26)

Reflection
Why?

We all ask that question…even Job. Sometimes, when we read Job 1-2, we can mistakenly think that Job is “super-human” because he responds to his suffering in worship…but that doesn’t mean he is not confused and filled with questions. On the contrary, what makes his (and our) worship so awesome is that it takes place amidst questions!

Job is baffled by his unexplained suffering and is in such pain that he feels he would be better off dead. He doesn’t understand what God is doing and he expresses those questions that are stirring int he depths of his soul. It is ok to express our questions to God. It is ok to tell the Lord we are confused and we do not understand. We are never expected to bottle up our feelings and pretend like everything is ok as we suffer.

We can bring our questions and our hurt to the Lord…yet…we must be careful…there is a difference between questions and accusations. The book of Job teaches us that God is just and righteous…that he never sins or does wrong…even when our circumstances make things seem otherwise. So, as believers, we approach God with our questions from a starting point of trust.

We are confused…we don’t understand…but we trust.

Even Job will eventually fall prey to the temptation to accuse God of injustice (Job 27:2-6) and for this alone will he be rebuked by God himself (Job 38:1-3)…and Job will repent (Job 40:1-5). He will see that even when he cannot see…God can be trusted. Even when we don’t know the why…we can know the who…and the who is worthy of our trust.

*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

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