Gentle Reader,
I was cranky last week. Anvils hammered in my head. Had a “crying mad” moment over something. Opening the laptop to chat with my blogging buddies simply didn’t happen. That’s life, I suppose. And so, this late entry.
Kate says: return.
Go.
I haven’t shared much about my attempt to read through the Bible this year. There’s the fear of sounding prideful – “Well, look at what I’m doing…” – and the fear of somehow jinxing the project – “Well, I told them about it and now I’m three weeks behind so I suck.” And to be real: I didn’t read my Bible last week. As stated above, I was in and out of a wicked headache and what I was feeling kept me from reading. Because that’s a spot that Satan loves to press; I’m feeling angry, condemned, so don’t read Scripture because that will make me feel worse because God, in reality, probably doesn’t like me very much.
Yes, I still struggle with that. Not as much as I used to, but I’m not yet free. I’d like to claim that I was, but does the world really need another liar?
Anyway, I’ve made my way to Job’s story, which I love. Many hate this book because there are no answers. We don’t get to know why God allowed Satan to wreak havoc in Job’s life. We don’t get to know why God chose to test his servant like that. Job is a mystery to us and we don’t like it. We want to be able to unravel the strands of human responsibility and Divine movements. We want to be able to say, “This is what and where and when and – most importantly – why.”
And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
– Job 1:21 (NKJV)
That’s a profound statement. This man has just lost everything. He doesn’t know why. He maintains his innocence and his devotion to God. He puts up with his probably well-intentioned but ultimately idiotic friends spouting hot air at him. In the end, he encounters God, who gives him no answers, instead expressing His majesty and sovereignty. In short and amazingly simple language, the message of Job’s life is: We don’t always get to know.
Will we keep trusting God?
Will we return to Him, over and over?
Stop.
Marie, first, you’re in my prayers, that you’re feeling better.
Second, the lesson of Job is the lesson of Gethsemane. God may seem far away, but that’s no excuse for breaking faith. “Thy Will Be Done” is some pretty terrible stuff, but it’s a pretty terrible world.
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“…the lesson of Job is the lesson of Gethsemane.”
You’ve got me thinking with that one, my friend. I’ve never put those things together.
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I like how real you are with simple truths. We are all not perfect and many of us suffer from health issues not to mention from our own failings. I don’t know about you; but, as for me, I will cling to the cross no matter how weak I get. Afterall, He saved me. My understanding is that He honors faith as a small as a mustard seed. (Matthew 17:20). I may be wrong in this understanding; but, I am constantly learning the truth(s). 🙂
Visiting from FMF #67
PS Andrew’s comment got me thinking too. There are parallels between Job’s suffering and Gethasmeme. Both are of “Thy will be done” nature. I will have to think on this more. 🙂
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My apologies for not responding sooner, but I’m glad I read your comment today. I needed to. God does honor faith. It pleases Him. We can’t know Him without it. Thankfully, we don’t have to manufacture that faith on our own; He is always gracing us with more and strengthening us in. So, as we cling to the Cross, He keeps our grip firm in response to our cries for help. I’m glad of that!
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I’m reading through the Bible this summer with some colleagues. I get ahead and then behind. But this week I learned that some Bible apps will actually read to you. Might be my way of keeping up!
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Sorry for not answering sooner! I love my BibleGateway app. I tease people that Bible apps aren’t “the real Bible,” but it’s awfully nice to hear a soothing voice reading Scripture.
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