Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Jordan - Job 27
To this point, Job has been berated by his friends who have the old school thought that Job must have done something wrong to deserve a life such as this. Job is saying finally and absolutely that he has not done anything to justify his new world of pain and loss.
I remember the tsunami in Sri Lanka that occured the day after Christmas in 2004. My sister and I were sitting at the breakfast table and she asked outloud "how could God do this?" Is God just the God of an imperfect world that lives and shifts in such violent ways that we are at nature's mercy? Or does God really control all of this? Job is one of those books in the Bible that confuses this for me because, while God didn't do this directly to Job, God did allow the devil to test Job, right? Was that tsunami in 2004 and the tsunami in Japan just another test? Or is God watching this from a distance letting life and the earth run its course?
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If you haven't been coming to Bible study in the vestry on Sunday mornings at 9 am, please do (Kelly and Sue, thank you for your roles in teaching our children and youth). We just talked last Sunday about the perspective God has both within and "above" us.
ReplyDeleteGod made a perfect creation with human beings as the pinnacle of it. Then everything went horribly wrong, due to sin. God is in control, but doesn't control us. We (and creation itself) have free will. We can create miniture tsunamis in our homes, churches, schools, neighborhoods, places of work, etc. No one (short of the authorities) can stop us. Not even God. Love doesn't constrain.
Our Father can inspire us though. He transforms us from the inside out. In other words, God doesn't cause earthquakes and tsunamis to happen. He allows creation to have free will. People die, but that doesn't make God any less loving. As we reach out in love during the recovery efforts and give God the glory, things move a little bit closer to heaven on earth.
I had the same thought with regard to the individual tsunamis we all face as a result of living life. God made us to be resilient in the face of adversity and tragedy. To have belief in something greater than ourselves, to know that no matter what storms we may face that we are never alone. His love is forever.
ReplyDeleteWhat is free will? As I go through each day I find that I am constantly faced with decisions, turn right, turn left, go through the door or stay outside, do what matters or pretend others problems don't exist. The bible directs us to learn the life lessons of Jesus and ask ourselves, "What would Jesus do?" when faced with people or situations that call for us to take action that would benefit others. Free will seems to be that you must decide to act, be God's hands here on earth, offer yourself up as a servant working in God's kingdom.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how many times I hear people blame God for the bad things that happen. When my youngest child, Emily was born, she was kept in the hospital in ICU for a week after because of a low respiratory reading. I remember being really scared watching her through the bubble she was in to help her breath. I also remember my sister telling me that it was not my fault and that God was not punishing me. I thought to myself, why would she even think that, the thought never crossed my mind.
ReplyDeleteBut people do think this way and they blame God for earthly things they are sure he has the power to control but doesn't. I think this is because we are suppose to figure things out for ourselves. He has given us all the tools to live a good life, we don't always use them.
Because of Jordan's comments, I was mostly struck by the imagery of the chapter that I probably wouldn't have seen before. No big comments on theology....just really struck by the power of language today. And the imagery of the storm.
ReplyDeletev18 - The house he builds is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut made by a watchman.
vv. 20-21 - Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest snatches him away in the night.
The east wind carries him off, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place.
Brings very vivid pictures of both Sri Lanka and Japan to mind.