Thoughts for the Day

There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.

One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’ Satan answered the Lord, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.’ The Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil.’ Then Satan answered the Lord, ‘Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.’ The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not stretch out your hand against him!’ So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

One day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the eldest brother’s house, a messenger came to Job and said, ‘The oxen were ploughing and the donkeys were feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell on them and carried them off, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.’ While he was still speaking, another came and said, ‘The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; I alone have escaped to tell you.’ While he was still speaking, another came and said, ‘The Chaldeans formed three columns, made a raid on the camels and carried them off, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.’ While he was still speaking, another came and said, ‘Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, and suddenly a great wind came across the desert, struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; I alone have escaped to tell you.’

Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshipped. He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Many of us know little about the book of Job, though we might remember the saying that someone is a "Job's comforter". The book is so immense it would take weeks to study in depth, and we shall only look at it this week. Its date is unknown but likely earlier than 7the century BCE. However, in light of the events in our present world, it has a lot to teach us.

Job is part of the Wisdom literature that we looked at in August. The book is mostly in dialogue form, initially between God and Satan. The latter challenges God's assertion that Job is "blameless" and that "he turns away from evil". Cynically Satan argues that God has protected him and if this changed Job would surely curse God.

So we see the first terrible disasters. Job's reaction is magnificent. He tears his robe, and shaves his head - all indications of his mourning - and then he worships God. His words are still used in funeral services today:

• ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there;
  the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’

We can barely imagine the grief that Job suffers, nor the grief of those losing everything in the Middle East or Ukraine now, but in his agony Job can still see the hand of God at work and worship Him. Today is no different as we watch events play out across the world, or indeed as we suffer ourselves. The tension to blame God rather than blame human sin can be present in each of us, and make it hard to continue to praise God.

Heavenly Father,
when we see conflict and disaster in our world,
our sympathy leads us to pray for people
and for their particular situation.
When things do not improve
or when we ourselves are suffering
we can find ourselves blaming You.
May we not forget that so much suffering
in our world is caused by human selfishness and sin,
and that You hold the bigger picture in Your hand.
So may we continue praising You.
Amen.