Devotionals: God Provides (June 26th)

Restore: God Provides

June 26, 2011

Helpful Readings for the Week

Read Job 1:1-2:10

Read Job 7:1-21

Read Job 19:19-27

Read Job 42:1-6

Read Job 42: 7-17

Devotional Thoughts

A Series of Unfortunate Events (Job 1:1-2:10)

Job had it all. He was a successful businessman, he was a good father, he was respected in the community, he was wealthy, and he had a strong and active faith in God. Imagine what it was like for Job to lose everything. First Job lost his livestock, then his servants, then his children, and then his health. Job was reduced to suffering and sorrow. He was a shadow of his former self. Perhaps the level of suffering is best summed up by Job's wife who says "Why do you persist in your integrity? Curse God and die!"

Have you ever had your joy turn to sorrow? Have you ever experienced changes in life that lead you down a more difficult road? Do you know what it feels like to lose something/someone important to you? Do you know what it feels like to be abandoned by those you love? Do you know what suffering is? The great question of the Book of Job is "Why do bad things happen to good people?" How can God allow it (as he does in Job)? Perhaps the story of Job can clue us into the reality of suffering and the nature of God.

A Sorrow Filled Heart (Job 7:1-21)

This is a difficult chapter to read. It is very emotional. It is very powerful in its language and tone. You can almost feel the pain in Job's heart, mind, and soul as he expresses what is in his heart to God. Job doesn't have nice things to say to God. Job's hurt is so great that he cannot see the God who loves him. All he can see is his hurt. He has no peace. He has no rest. Job's heart is filled with suffering and sorrow that cannot be expressed fully. Even the best efforts of a very wise man can only scratch the surface of describing Job's pain. Yet Job expresses his reality to God. In that expression there is hope. God can work when we open our hearts and express what is found there…even when it isn't particularly complimentary to God. Perhaps spending time expressing your heart to God will do some good.

Hope in Hurt (Job 19:19-27)

Job's hurt is physical, mental, spiritual, and social. Job hurts in about every way a person can hurt. Here he spends quite a bit of time reflecting on the wrong done to him. He connects this wrong to God's action. God has wronged me. The people around me have wronged me. I particularly like 19:17 "My breath is repulsive to my wife". Job looks around and sees no help or hope. Ever been there? Have you ever felt allow and drifting in a sea of trouble and pain? If so, perhaps Job's next words will be helpful.

"I know my redeemer lives" says Job. I know the one who can set things right again. I know I will be redeemed. Job acknowledges that it may not happen in his lifetime, but he has hope in his redeemer. This hope gives Job the strength to endure. This hope sustains us when everything around us brings nothing but destruction. In Job's darkest moment he never forgot God and he never gave up hope. In our darkest moments we need to do the same. Suffering is not the death of hope…it is hope's chance to shine.

A Change of Perspective (Job 42:1-6)

The story continues. Job and his friends continue their argument and reach no conclusion. Another party enters the discussion and brings no resolution. When there are no more words to say, God speaks. God spoke out of a whirlwind. God spoke from a place of power. He gave Job his chance to confront the Lord…to have his day in court. To the revealed reality of God all of Job's cries of injustice faded away. Upon seeing God and hearing God's words, Job could say nothing in his own defense. The answer to the question "Why do bad things happen to good people?" is "Trust God". It doesn't make intellectual sense, yet it is Job's answer. It is ours as well.

Job offers a confession. "I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me." Trusting God allows us to not only hear about God, but to see Him at work. This suffering caused Job's faith to grow and develop. He knew God far better at the conclusion than he did at the beginning. Why Job had to suffer is not clear. What is clear is that Job's suffering brought him closer to God.

A Man Restored (Job 42:7-17)

Job's friends had been misrepresenting God throughout the book. God now turns his attention to them. Their ideas about God changed along with Job. Now it is the prayer of Job which restores those who once condemned him. God places Job in the place or righteousness. God provided a spiritual reawakening of a community through Job.

God also provided for Job. He gave Job a blessing of health, property, and family that was twice what Job had before his suffering started. Job who is often remembered for his suffering ends his story with blessing. Job lived a long a full life. Job's momentary pain became a lifetime of blessing.