Monday 19 May 2008

Background

Job is pretty sore and with good reason. He has lost everything,including his health. But he hasn't lost his spirit. He wants Godto be called to account for the miseries inflicted on him. Jobdemands his day in court - with God.

The book of Job is a story about a man who was so good, sorespected, that Satan got God's permission to squeeze him till thepips squeaked, just to see what happened. Will Job scream againstGod in desperate anger, or will he remain faithful? The bookincludes an elaborate series of speeches by friends of Job whothink they know better than he does. In fact they are no help atall.

After all these 'friends' have had their say, God speaks from thewhirlwind, challenging Job to answer a series of rapid-firequestions - like 'Who wants to be a millionaire?' but with nochance to 'phone a friend'. God's speech represents anotherperspective on creation, giving much more detail than the storiesat the beginning of the book of Genesis.

Verse 18 is loaded with irony - "speak up if you know all this".But later there's much more - "surely you know, for you were bornthen"! Job is being challenged by infinity, by something utterlyoutside his experience, greater than he can imagine, totally beyondhis comprehension. It's a hard lesson for him to learn, that he cannever contend with God on equal terms.

The closing part of the story tells of how Job's fortunes wererestored and far more, no longer God's enemy, but now - it seems -God's favourite.

To Ponder

God is greater than we (like Job) can imagine,and like Job there comes a time when we have to acknowledge theimmensity of the mystery that is God. Nothing can be more amazingthan that this immense mystery chooses to enter our world as ...love. How can you begin to respond to this?

When you feel you are being squeezed until thepips squeak, don't be afraid to be honest with God about youranger. What do you want to be angry with God about? (Remember: Godis more than big enough to cope with your anger - and still loveyou, still hold you and see you through.)

Those friends of Job meant well, but they weretoo conventional in their responses. They couldn't think outsidethe box. They couldn't even put themselves in Job's shoes. Theywere all mouth and no ears and an example of how not to help peoplewho are broken and furious with God. If you were one of Job'sfriends, what support could you have given him?