READ: Job 23-27
BACKGROUND:
Chapter 23 – Job’s response to Eliphaz’ accusations that his suffering is a result of sin in his life.
23:6 – Job assures his friends of his innocence.
23: 8, 10 – Job is frustrated because he feels as if God is ignoring him, but reiterates that despite his frustration, his heart for God is steadfast. He admits that God is testing him – not to purge away his sin, but to show that Job is pure gold.
Chapter 24 – Job describes the terrible injustice that exists in the world. He does not understand why God is seemingly silent and indifferent.
24:21-24 – Job says that God judges the wicked, but does so in his time.
Chapter 25 – Job’s friend Bildad speaks. Bildad communicates God’s power and man’s weakness. While Bildad’s words were true, they were somewhat misguided, as he was trying to get Job to recognize his sin, even though we know Job was blameless.
26:2-4 Job responds with sarcasm because Bildad’s words, while true, were well known and understood by Job already and not the point of the current situation.
26:14 – Job speaks of the magnitude of God’s power and authority and the inability of humans to even begin to grasp the full extent of his might.
27:2 A solemn oath from Job to keep his faith despite his perception of denied justice.
THINK: Why do bad things happen to good people? If you haven’t asked it yourself, you’ve been asked it a time or two by someone else. We hear that and ponder that very question all the time. Traditional thinking would lead us to believe that we reap what we sow. If that is true, suffering and prosperity should be distributed in proportion with the evil and good done by a person (John Piper). We all know from first-hand experience that that is not always true. Job spent much of his time expressing his frustration with this very matter.
The bottom line is that our finite minds will never understand the wisdom of an infinitely wise God. 1 Corinthians 13:12 says it this way, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” Not knowing everything right this second can be hugely troublesome to us. My challenge today is to allow the unknown to lead us to a deeper trust in God and gratitude for His control. Rather than despairing over our circumstances or the circumstances in our world, let’s focus on God’s character and know with complete confidence that He is good and He is wise. He allows us to experience pain and sadness and He knows the injustices that plague our world. Praise God that His plan is to one day redeem us from this world of evil and restore us to Himself.
When the weight of the evil is overwhelming, choose to focus on and rejoice in the truth of a God that loves and holds us in the midst of chaos. Rather than becoming angry when life seems out of control, rejoice that you serve a God who is always in control. Above all, rejoice that you serve a God that does not give you what you deserve. As “good” as we may some days think we are, the truth is we are wicked and deserve death. In God’s grace alone, He chose to redeem us. Keep your eyes and hope on a future with Jesus and the craziness of life will be washed away with the calm, loving voice of Jesus, assuring you of His promise to bring you home!
Written By: Cari Widdel
throughin2.com 