Is not calamity for the unrighteous and disaster for the workers of iniquity? Does not he see my ways and number all my steps?
Job 31:3-4
When things are going our way, it is easy to sit back and say, all is right in the world. But when life takes an unexpected turn, or throws us a curveball, it is just as easy to get angry, or hurt, or confused. This is Job’s story, life was good, had money, kids, and a great wife. They made a good amount of money had everything they ever needed, and could not complain about anything, until that day. At a breakneck speed it all came apart. His children died in a natural disaster, he and his wife got sick, and his wife died. His home was destroyed, and he went bankrupt. As anyone might expect he turned to God, and wonder, what is going on here?
For Job, the world had a clear formula it was run by: the more good I do, the more good that happens to me; likewise the more bad I do, the more bad comes my way. Yet Job was looking at a series of events and was left to wonder why did all this happen? Did I do something to deserve this? Is this my fault? And maybe most important, God how could you? But God responds to Job in a litany of ways reminding Job that our God cannot be contained in human formulas. Our God doesn’t always do what is logical, or what seems “fair” or “makes sense.”
The other day I read an article that was titled “God” Particle found (http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2118667,00.html?xid=rss-mostpopular). When asked why they call it the God particle, it’s because they always knew it was there, but could not explain or identify it. Maybe that’s a great reminder to us from science. God cares deeply for his people, and our God is just, but He is also beyond human logic, rules, formulas, and expectations. And although He may do things that make our heads scratch, we are reminded from Job that our God is always there, right alongside us, even when he may feel far away, even when it doesn’t all makes sense.
Pastor Bill
Discussion Questions
- What is one recent example when something happen around you that just made you scratch your head and ask God why?
- Take sometime this week and lift that up to God in prayer.
- Read some of Job 38-42 as a reminder of who our God is.