Thoughts from a lesson on Job
My friend from the Netherlands taught class this morning She did very well; I don't think she realizes her gift.
Some thoughts:
God never condemns Job's grief, sarcasm, questions, doubts, despondency, emotions, cries.
In the last chapter, Job's friends, who did not represent God correctly in their arguments, are condemned but given grace "when Job prayed for them."
Friends, although needed, are not the ultimate help.
Job's wife is only mentioned once. What happened to her? I think she may have been a second wife anyway, especially if he really did have a bunch more children at her age. But God doesn't judge her either.
Our responses to adversity, pain, loss, will be different for each person. Our quick "I know how you feel" or "I'm sorry" is often a trope, a default, a cliche, and thus meaningless.
Our responses in adversity are often based on our expectations of God, which might be totally wrong.
One of those expectations has to do with timing and how long God should take to get us out of this mess.
Each of us should carefully evaluate explanations offered for life's bewildering circumstances. Most of our attempts are popular truisms rather than wisdom rooted in Biblical truth.
What is the Biblical truth: God does not offer rational explanations; his power is too great for us to justify his ways.
Is that last sentence a copout? It could be. I think most of the time there is a rational explanation; we have the word that does set up parameters. But not all the time. The worst of times.
Adversity is not necessarily (even usually) God's judgment against wrongdoing, even though this is a cause-effect universe in the big picture.
Human wisdom can be antithetical to the revealed wisdom of God. (New Testament, Pauline concept)
We may in adversity wonder if all our obedience was for nought. I have felt that.
Eliphaz appealed to justice; Bildad, to tradition; Zophar, to logic. Job appealed to God.
Some thoughts:
God never condemns Job's grief, sarcasm, questions, doubts, despondency, emotions, cries.
In the last chapter, Job's friends, who did not represent God correctly in their arguments, are condemned but given grace "when Job prayed for them."
Friends, although needed, are not the ultimate help.
Job's wife is only mentioned once. What happened to her? I think she may have been a second wife anyway, especially if he really did have a bunch more children at her age. But God doesn't judge her either.
Our responses to adversity, pain, loss, will be different for each person. Our quick "I know how you feel" or "I'm sorry" is often a trope, a default, a cliche, and thus meaningless.
Our responses in adversity are often based on our expectations of God, which might be totally wrong.
One of those expectations has to do with timing and how long God should take to get us out of this mess.
Each of us should carefully evaluate explanations offered for life's bewildering circumstances. Most of our attempts are popular truisms rather than wisdom rooted in Biblical truth.
What is the Biblical truth: God does not offer rational explanations; his power is too great for us to justify his ways.
Is that last sentence a copout? It could be. I think most of the time there is a rational explanation; we have the word that does set up parameters. But not all the time. The worst of times.
Adversity is not necessarily (even usually) God's judgment against wrongdoing, even though this is a cause-effect universe in the big picture.
Human wisdom can be antithetical to the revealed wisdom of God. (New Testament, Pauline concept)
We may in adversity wonder if all our obedience was for nought. I have felt that.
Eliphaz appealed to justice; Bildad, to tradition; Zophar, to logic. Job appealed to God.
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