Job 1-13

I began reading through Job this week. I think every time I read Job, it is a humbling experience, a chance to be reminded that God is sovereign and I am but His child. It's a reminder that I am not in control and that's a good thing because I can't see the whole picture. It's also a good perspective to see that anything I've experienced is nothing compared to Job, and he made it through to the other side of his trials. I'd like to reflect a bit on Job 1-13.

The scene that takes place at the opening of the book of Job is a great reminder that we do not have the whole picture. We are often not aware of why things are happening in our lives. We are presented with Job, an honorable man that walks with God. He has a personal walk. He doesn't just call himself a believer; he walks the walk. And God suggests Job to Satan. Wow! I think the thought of God suggesting us to Satan often bothers us. We might think, "Why would a loving God allow Satan to bring trials into our lives?" Perhaps it feels unfair. We, like Job's friends, feel like trials should be for the ungodly, those deserving of negative consequences, or punishment. What about asking ourselves, "Would God think highly enough of me, is my faith strong enough, to be tested, that God might be glorified through it all?"  The thing is God never left Job. The scripture says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you."”‭‭(Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:6‬). Through it all, God was still bestowing His grace upon Job that he might remain faithful. God is the "author and perfector of faith." (Hebrews 12:2). We see from Job's response to the news of all that he lost, that Job understood who God is, that He is worthy of praise no matter what our circumstances. “He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD." Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.” (Job‬ ‭1:21-22‬).  I clung to verse 21 when I found out that my unborn Baby Kyson passed away within my womb in the summer of 2012. I knew that this truth needed to be written on my hurting heart. I knew that through the hurt, God was still good and worthy of my praise.

In chapters 2, we see that Satan is not even impressed with Job's faith after all his loss, and God allows him to strike Job's health. We are again reminded that God is in control and Satan must have  permission from the Almighty. Satan is sure that Job will not continue to praise God after that, sure that Job's allegiance is based on his own comfort. Job's wife asks him why he doesn't just give up, curse God, and die. “But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” ‭‭(Job‬ ‭2:10‬). How often do we eagerly accept good from God, praising His name for His goodness? Yet His goodness remains the same even when we are not granted "the good." Also in chapter 2, we meet Job's three friends, and their initial response to simply sit with him as he mourns is spot on. Often in a time of loss, we just need the presence of a friend.

In chapter 3, we see that Job is in complete anguish, wishing not only for death, but that he had never been born.  The verse about miscarriage brought my mind back to my heaven babies, Hope and Kyson, and I thought about the earthly trials they never had to live to experience, that they went straight to the glory of our Savior. I have great peace in that thought.

In chapter 4, Job's friends begin making the mistake so many of us make. They have given their friend a week to mourn and now they feel the need to try to fix things. I think this is a good reminder to us that sometimes we just need to be there for our friends, not try to figure out the whys for them because we might be wrong, and instead of helping, we might just hurt them more. Eliphaz was wrong about Job being punished for wrongdoing. It's a good reminder to us that when we suffer loss, we need not blame ourselves.  Trials are not necessarily consequences of anything we have done,

Chapter 5 holds some truth about God and how He is just. Unfortunately, Eliphaz is still holding to the notion that Job needs to repent of something. Job knows God is just; he is not cursing God. The friends seem to need to glean some wisdom from Job, that God can remain just even if He allows bad things to happen to us that have nothing to do with punishment.

In chapters 6 and 7, Job responds to his friends, reminding them of what terrible anguish he is in and telling them that they are being of no help. He knows that he is not in need of repentance, that this calamity is not punishment. He needs their support to help him keep his faith in the midst of this trial, and they are only wrongly accusing him. He just needs them to sit with him in what he believes to be his last days, to comfort him, but they are making him feel worse. Job then turns to God, pouring out his heart to God, still longing for death, seeking to find peace with God.

In chapter 8, another friend, Bildad, speaks. He, like Eliphaz, speaks of God being just, and still does not understand that God can be just and allow these things to befall Job without due cause on Job's part. He must have either missed Job's speech on how they were not helping or just ignored it because he pretty much did the same thing as Eliphaz. Again, we have a reminder to us to really listen to people when they are going through troubles, hear what it is they need from a friend in their times of trouble. I know I often don't know what to say to someone going through a trial, that I would like nothing more than to "fix" things, but sometimes we just need to be there for support. May we also be reminded that we are not to judge why a trial comes upon someone.

In chapter 9, Job answers Bildad, speaking of God's greatness and humbling himself before God.  He doesn't bother to tell Bildad that he is wrong to speak of what he does not understand. He simply continues to speak of God. We can see his desire to have peace with Him, to walk with Him once more. What I really like is when Job speaks of the desire for a mediator, someone that can touch God and mediate for man. He knows this can be no human. We see a glimpse of the Savior here, for we know the rest of the story. We know we have a  redeemer, Jesus Christ, the God-Man, who intercedes for us even now (Romans 8:34)!

Chapter 10 shows us Job crying out to God, not understanding why this is happening and feeling perhaps that God, who lovingly made him and loved him, is now against him. It is a sad state in which we see Job.

Job's third friend, Zophar, begins to speak in chapter 11. He, like the other two friends, simply pours salt into Job's wounds, holding that Job should stop confessing his integrity and needs to repent of whatever sin brought about this calamity that Job might be restored before God. He too fails to see that what Job is experience has nothing to do with sin.

Job answers in chapter 12 and tells his friends that while they think they are better than him and have made him a laughingstock, they are wrong. Job knows of God's greatness and does not deny it. He continues in chapter 13, that they should not speak for God. He declares, "Though he slay me, I will hope in him.” ‭‭(Job‬ ‭13:15‬) Do we have this kind of faith, faith secure in who God is so that though our world around us is falling apart, we still hope in Him? Job again turns to God, longing for answers as to why this is all happening, longing to be at peace with his God.

Thirteen chapters of this complex book of Job find me at a place of being humbled and feeling blessed. I am ever grateful that Jesus came to redeem us from this place of suffering and grateful of the good God has given me while I am on this earth. I know that nothing good I have is deserved, that it's all grace. I am humbly reminded of my finiteness and the glimpse I have of the whole picture and my need to rest in the One who is in control of all eternity.