Day 36 – It’s not always what it seems. (Job)
June 21, 2010
mondayswithmaria
I found it very emotional for me to read Job this last weekend. Six months ago, I probably couldn’t have done it. Six months ago today, Edward was being released from the hospital for the 4th time, after a total of 6 weeks in 2 1/2 months, but the journey was far from over. When he was released, we immediately started daily visits to the oncology office for blood work, shots, and stem cell collection, and we were preparing for the worst yet to come – high dose chemo and stem cell transplantation in January. We were lucky to have a lot of emotional support from family, friends, and our church. Job was not so lucky.
In one day, Job went from prosperous to penniless and childless. Can you imagine losing all 10 of your children and everything that you own in one day? This is what happened to Job, but he “…did not sin or charge God with wrong.” (Job 1:22) Satan was disappointed in Job’s reaction, so he attacked Job’s health. “In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” (Job 2:10) After some time, Job’s friends come along to comfort him (supposedly).
Job vents to his friends and questions why he was even born. At first, they seem to try and encourage him saying, “For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal.” (Job 5:18) Job insists to his friends that he has done nothing to justify what has happened to him. They encourage him to repent saying, “Behold, God will not reject a blameless man.” (Job 8:20) Job continues to insist that he is blameless but that God is too angry to hear him. “Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him; I must appeal for mercy to my accuser.” (Job 9:15) Now, his friends assert that Job deserves greater punishment, does not fear God, and is wicked. Job continues to have faith in God, maintains his integrity, and chooses not to curse God. In the end, God sets Job straight, and Job replies, “I uttered what I did not understand…I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:3-6)
In 2002, Edward and I were trying new Sunday School classes. We became regulars in one class, and one day, the discussion was about why bad things happen to Christians. The teacher commented that it is often one’s own sin that causes personal devastation. He went on to say, “Look at all of the cancer in the world. It’s out of control. I believe all this disease was earned.” Naturally, this statement made me burn a little hot. As I pointed to my husband, I said, “What sin did Edward commit to cause him to get cancer?” You should have seen the faces in that room! I think every jaw dropped, and after a long pause, one woman reached over and touched Edward’s arm as she asked, “You had cancer, Ed?” You see, no one in that room knew he was a cancer survivor.
My point is this – only God knows the “why” and for good reason. We tend to be judgmental, as Christians and as humans. As sinners, are we in any position to judge one another? Were Job’s friends in any position to judge him?
I believe that “bad” things happen for one of three reasons:
- God intends it for His purpose, and/or
- As a consequence of our sin;
- Outside of # 1 or #2, it’s just life happening.
It isn’t for us to judge one another; judgment is reserved for God. As we can see from Job’s situation, both he and his friends were wrong. Job believed that God was tormenting him. Job’s friends believed that Job was sinful and wicked, when in fact, it was Satan all along. I think our job is to seek God and His will through it. If trials are for God’s purpose, we are more likely to be successful when seeking Him. If it’s due to our sin, we need to be seeking God to help us identify the sin, confess it, and change the behavior. If it’s just life happening as life does, couldn’t we still use God’s grace and mercy to get us through it, and use the experience to glorify Him?
My prayer for today:
Lord, thank you for all of the times of peace in my life. Thank you also for the trials. Thank you for loving me enough to tend to me like a fruit tree - pruning away the dead and toxic limbs and nurturing the thriving ones. Forgive me for judging others. Guide me toward you and away from sin and deception. Amen
Entry Filed under: Faith,Judgment
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1.
kim |
June 22, 2010 at 9:32 pm
As always, an awesome insight and a challenge. It is so easy to be judgmental of others when none of us is perfect! Who am I to judge anyone? I know better than anyone what my faults are, and I should instead be focusing on “the beam in my own eye!” By keeping our eyes on God, we keep our lives , with the good and the bad, in perspective.
Thank you, Maria, for doing such an awesome job on this blog. It has really been a help and a bright spot for me!
2.
mondayswithmaria |
June 24, 2010 at 6:42 pm
Great point, mom! Thanks for the encouragement.
3.
Carla Yarborough |
June 23, 2010 at 7:12 am
I agree with Kim. This was an awesome lesson to be learned. You are quite passionate about this and it reflects in your writing which makes it easier for us to capture the intent of this message. God’s ways are not our ways…(for example) if “judgement” was the case, then no child would ever be born out of wedlock…God does not call us to be perfect but to confess that He is perfect. God is also not a one hit wonder…after your saved..He’s gone. God is cotinually working through each of our lives to perfect that which concerns us!!
4.
mondayswithmaria |
June 24, 2010 at 6:44 pm
“God is also not a one hit wonder.” I love that…and good thing he’s not!