The Joy of Glory

Discovering endless joy in the boundless glory of God…

Tag: Job

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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March 20, 2014

Lent Devotional: Job 2:11-13

Job 2:11-13 (click here)
Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. 12 And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. 13 And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great. (Job 2:11-13)

Reflection
Silence. This was the best gift that Job’s friends gave him…the simple gift of presence. In fact, once they eventually get into conversation, Job will wish they had just remained silent: Job 13:5, “Oh that you would keep silent, and it would be your wisdom!”

What is ironic to me is that we are quick to see the value of silence with Job’s friends. I am quick to judge them for opening their mouths. They should’ve realized there was nothing they could say to make things better and just been there with their friend. We are quick to see silence as a gift from people…but…the irony is that we do not see silence as a gift from God.

We chastise Job’s friends for speaking and we question God for his silence. He will not speak until chapter 38 and we wonder why!?!? Perhaps God is giving Job the gift his friends are not. Perhaps God is simply being present…with Job amidst his pain. If God were to speak, what would we want him to say? Is there an explanation that he could give that would make Job “feel” better. Or is the best thing just being with Job.

Amidst all our pain, when God is silent, I don’t believe his silence equals absence…quite the opposite. I believe he is ever present, with us amidst pain offering us the greatest gift…himself.  We can know that we never suffer alone and unseen. God is with us…even and especially in the silence.

*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

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March 19, 2014

Lent Devotional: Job 2:1-10

Job 2:1-10 (click here)
Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” 6 And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.” (Job 2:4-6)

Reflection
Satan has been defeated once. He tried to show that Job’s faith was a frivolous response to the material blessings God had poured out on him. But now, all those blessings are gone and Job still worships the Lord. So…Satan changes tactics. Perhaps it’s not physical blessings, but physical health that causes Job to continue his allegiance to the almighty.

Satan is wholly self-centered and cannot imagine viewing the world another way. Surely Job, and all other people, value their own life and health above all else. We know that in many situations Satan is right, but with one (like Job) who truly holds the living God as their greatest treasure, health is merely a bonus, but not a necessity.

How can this be? It is because the one who truly worships God lives with a God-centered perspective, not a man-centered one. The most important thing to a worshipper is that God be shown to be glorious/loving/valuable as he is. Therefore, to lose ones health and still hang on to God only reveals that he is more valuable to you than your own well-being.

The thing that most of the world vigorously values above all, their own health and life, is nothing compared to holding on to God. Even more than that, we hang on to the promise of God that death is not the end for those who worship him! He has promised to destroy disease and death so we dare not let go of him, our ultimate hope! This is the perspective from which Job and we cry, “Though he slay me, I will hope in him!” (Job 13:15)

*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

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