“What are people, that you should make so much of us, that you should think of us so often? For you examine us every morning and test us every moment. Why won’t you leave me alone, at least long enough for me to swallow! If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of all humanity? Why make me your target? Am I a burden to you? Why not just forgive my sin and take away my guilt? For soon I will lie down in the dust and die. When you look for me, I will be gone.” [Job 7.17-21]
As with every story, human nature is to try to determine who is innocent and who is guilty or who is the hero and who is the villain. Perhaps this predisposition prevents us from seeing the message of the book of Job. I find myself trying to understand what Job or his friends said that was right or wrong. I find myself reading Job as a judge. And somehow that doesn't seem right!
Today I have come back to the idea that God is the Potter and we are the clay. For Job or his friends to question of figure out what is going on is futile. As we know from the narrative, Job's plight has everything to do with an altogether separate conversation between God and Satan.
Job is difficult. Aren't we, as followers of God and the Bible, supposed to learn what the Bible is about and become more educated as to its events and teachings? In doing so, we must find reason and continuity of subject matter to ascertain what we are to learn - but the book of Job makes this quest almost impossible. Who is right? Who is wrong? What part of Job's story are we to embrace as the thing to do and what part are we to learn to recognize in our own lives and stories and avoid? I wish I knew! What IS the lesson of this story?
Father, I am trying to be open here to the lesson You have for me from the book of Job. Help me to discard any predispositions I have about this writing and simply learn what You have for me to learn.
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