May 6 - Job 11-14
Zophar has to answer Job, too. He believes in the mercy of God. That means that God does not punish us as much as we deserve. Therefore, since all of these terrible things had happened to Job, he must have sinned greatly, and he needs to repent. Then, God would restore him. Zophar did not understand that God allows trials to come to the righteous, either. Again, this response makes Job more upset, because he knows that his pain is not caused by his sin this time.
By now Job is getting frustrated with his friends. He responds with sarcasm. He clearly tells his friends that he knows God has done this or allowed this to happen to him. He is open to God showing him his sin, but God has not done that yet. He thinks he wants to talk to God and to reason with God. He wants to try to understand why this has happened to him. However, Job still says "though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." He still makes it clear to his friends that he does not want God to remove His hand from him or to let the dread of Him not make him afraid. Job still trusts God in general, but he needs to learn to trust God in this specific situation.
Job and his friends equate blessings with God's love. They think God only brings pain on His enemies, so their conclusion is that God is treating Job like an enemy. This is the wrong conclusion, which is based on a wrong assumption. God does allow pain or even causes pain to come to those He loves for a variety of reasons. Pain is not our enemy. We can learn much through pain, if we will look to the Lord in the midst of the pain. Job's statement that "Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble" is true.(14:1) The trouble often comes to help us come to know God better. Without pain often we would not stop to listen to God. God sends the trouble because He loves us. However, when we get frustrated like Job, and we don't think good can come from pain, we miss what God is trying to say. Please, know that God is not your enemy. He loves you, and He wants what is best for you. If you have pain, go to Him, and let Him heal your pain and show you what He knows you need to know. In the end it will turn out to be a blessing.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Job 15-17.
By now Job is getting frustrated with his friends. He responds with sarcasm. He clearly tells his friends that he knows God has done this or allowed this to happen to him. He is open to God showing him his sin, but God has not done that yet. He thinks he wants to talk to God and to reason with God. He wants to try to understand why this has happened to him. However, Job still says "though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." He still makes it clear to his friends that he does not want God to remove His hand from him or to let the dread of Him not make him afraid. Job still trusts God in general, but he needs to learn to trust God in this specific situation.
Job and his friends equate blessings with God's love. They think God only brings pain on His enemies, so their conclusion is that God is treating Job like an enemy. This is the wrong conclusion, which is based on a wrong assumption. God does allow pain or even causes pain to come to those He loves for a variety of reasons. Pain is not our enemy. We can learn much through pain, if we will look to the Lord in the midst of the pain. Job's statement that "Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble" is true.(14:1) The trouble often comes to help us come to know God better. Without pain often we would not stop to listen to God. God sends the trouble because He loves us. However, when we get frustrated like Job, and we don't think good can come from pain, we miss what God is trying to say. Please, know that God is not your enemy. He loves you, and He wants what is best for you. If you have pain, go to Him, and let Him heal your pain and show you what He knows you need to know. In the end it will turn out to be a blessing.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Job 15-17.