You’ve Got to Love Job
The story of Job in the Old Testament is a beautiful story of hope. On the face of it, God seems to be unconcerned about Job. But actually, God is loving and trusting Job, embracing him with incredible care.
Summarizing the Book of Job beyond the small snippet we read this weekend is helpful. The story goes like this. Job is a good and upright man. He is faithful to God and is incredibly blessed in his life.
The Devil strikes up a conversation with God. He claims that people only believe when good is happening in their lives. Once they are faced with adversity, their faith falters, and they will turn from God. God says that is not so. His followers are good and faithful. The Devil sets out to prove to God that he is right. Job is the Devil’s target.
So, throughout a short period, Job loses everything. He loses his family, crops, animals, wealth, and finally, even his health. Job continues to believe. He does not waiver in his faith in God.
But, there is an essential part of the story we shouldn’t forget. We hear it throughout the Book of Job, and in a very poignant way, we listen to it in today’s reading.
Job moaned, groaned, and complained about all that was happening to him. He did not quietly endure all the loss in his life. Throughout the Book of Job, we hear Job bemoaning all he has lost. He cries out to God that it’s not fair that he should have these terrible things happen to him. After all, he is a good and upright man.
The passage we read today is some of his very best grumbling.
Job says, “Is not a man’s life on earth a drudgery? Are not his days those of hirelings? He is a slave who longs for the shade, a hireling who waits for his wages.
So I have been assigned months of misery…My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.
Remember that my life is like the wind, I shall not see happiness again.”
Now, that is some major moaning and groaning. And yet, through it all, Job maintains his faith and trust in God. The Devil loses his argument with God because Job never denies God. God, in turn, blesses Job again by returning to him all the blessings he had.
Who among us has not felt put upon by life and circumstance? Who has not lost someone they loved and been left with an incredible sense that it was too soon? It was unfair. Perhaps the loss of a job or an estrangement in the family has caused us an overwhelming sense of being put upon by life
.I love this book. The moral of the story of Job is— when life is hard, and it seems you are being treated unjustly by life, it is perfectly alright to moan and groan. When it seems you have lost what you value and life is unfair, go ahead and shout out to God in your pain and anguish. If we follow the example of the good and righteous Job, we know that God can take it. In fact, not only can God take our sense of loss, He welcomes it.
God welcomes us to cry out in our pain and to trust Him enough to know He will not turn His back on us, no matter how we lash out.
As long as we cry out to God when we feel life has mistreated us, we are still in a relationship with God. Job tells us it is okay not to be stoic and hide our pain. God can take it. When we want to beat on the doors of heaven in our anguish, Job tells us to go ahead. God is still there, and the relationship is strong despite the pain.
Our relationship with God is strong enough to endure any anguish and pain. God does not get offended when we complain. He welcomes it. God holds us when we feel miserable. And if we allow it to be so, He embraces our brokenness and helps us heal.
In God’s Unending Love,
Gwen
