Job question his birth and sounds more like the "preacher" in Ecclesiastes. His friend (is he really a friend) tries to make sense of Job. In his mind, you reap what you sow. Job's friends would not be could at pastoral care. This is enlightening to our own theology with those who suffer. Do we worry more about explaining? Or do we offer comfort and hope?
One of my favorite passages is found in Acts 17. One that counters the disconcerting message of Job. Ultimately all we are and do is in God's Hands. The passage is state like this...
"For in him we live and move and have our being."
This is a better explanation than Eliphaz!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
Day 280...(Job 1,2; Isaiah 41; Act 16)..."Job and His Troubles Teach Us Theology is Not Easy"
How many have tried to explain the Book of Job? I enjoy listening to anyone try. Obviously, human suffering is better understood (though never fully explained) by reading the Book of Job. What is a message from Job?
One message that is reassuring to me is that theology is not easy. Our lives always have some complication. We lack the ability to give total explanation of all that happens. There is some ambiguity in all of life. The fact we cannot explain God is clear in Job. Our lack of explaining God is no reason not to seek the knowledge of God. In fact this provides all the more reason we must think, learn, stretch, experience, and even grapple with life. There are no easy answers but God is larger than any question. This is how I think, when I read Job. Come to think of it this is the way I think as I try to make sense of an oil spill, violence, and many modern puzzles.
All and all God is faithful in spite of suffering. This is our message and hope. Amen.
One message that is reassuring to me is that theology is not easy. Our lives always have some complication. We lack the ability to give total explanation of all that happens. There is some ambiguity in all of life. The fact we cannot explain God is clear in Job. Our lack of explaining God is no reason not to seek the knowledge of God. In fact this provides all the more reason we must think, learn, stretch, experience, and even grapple with life. There are no easy answers but God is larger than any question. This is how I think, when I read Job. Come to think of it this is the way I think as I try to make sense of an oil spill, violence, and many modern puzzles.
All and all God is faithful in spite of suffering. This is our message and hope. Amen.
Day 279...(Esther 9,10; Isaiah 40; Acts 15)..."My Life Verse"
If one verse is my life verse it would be Isaiah 40:31. The waiting on the Lord renews our strength. As I have person recently indicate, this is not a waiting like God is late but rather that God moves at the perfect time. When God moves, we are renewed with strength as eagles. Speaking of never growing tire...I never grow tired of these words from the New King James Version...
"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."
"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."
Day 278...(Esther 7,8; Isaiah 39; Acts 14)..."Evil Comes Back"
Haman was going to annihilate the Jews. Esther intervened at just the right time. Haman constructed gallows for the execution of Mordicae. When his plot was exposed, and he was hung on his own gallows. What a powerful lesson of "evil action coming home to roost."
In this story, we have the origin of an important day. The feast of Purim still holds great significance for the Jews. Evil leaders such as Hitler, remind us this story of seeking to wipe out an entire group of people is still a threat in our modern world. The story of Esther wakes humankind up to never let this happen.
In this story, we have the origin of an important day. The feast of Purim still holds great significance for the Jews. Evil leaders such as Hitler, remind us this story of seeking to wipe out an entire group of people is still a threat in our modern world. The story of Esther wakes humankind up to never let this happen.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Day 277...(Esther 5,6; Isaiah 38; Acts 13)..."God Extends Hezekiah's Life 15 Years"
Isaiah 37 and 38 is a prelude to exile coming to an end. Hezekiah prays. Isaiah gives him a thorough explanation of the history of what he is asking. (Even tells him he will die) In spite of the sin of the people...the prayer makes a great difference in beginning to reverse the fate of the remnant. Here is the prayer in chapter 37.
"Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD : "O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God. "It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God."
Later God extends Hezekiah's life by fifteen years. Here is the account...
"Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: "Go and tell Hezekiah, 'This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city."
What an amazing change of circumstances for Hezekiah and Israel!
You can read how the deliverance prayer was answered in reading the entire account.
"Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD : "O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God. "It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God."
Later God extends Hezekiah's life by fifteen years. Here is the account...
"Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: "Go and tell Hezekiah, 'This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city."
What an amazing change of circumstances for Hezekiah and Israel!
You can read how the deliverance prayer was answered in reading the entire account.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Day 276...(Esther 3,4; Isaiah 37 (see next day) Acts 12)..."Peter Experiences the God's Power to Break Chains"
Peter is involved with a supernatural (miracle) of a jail break. His chains are removed. How symbolic is this for those who are obedient to the Lord. Herod tried to stop him but this only made the movement stronger! The miraculous power of God continued to spread. A popular modern version of Amazing Grace adds..."My chains are gone, I've been set free." How true.
Here is the account of the breaking of chains...
"The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists."
Here is the account of the breaking of chains...
"The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists."
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Day 275...(Esther 1,2; Isaiah 36; Acts 11)..."The Name Christian First Used"
We begin Esther today. What an interesting story of how Esther represented her people through a delicate time for Israel. This Book is a nice break from the longer Old Testament books without an easy to follow story line.
In our Acts reading is something very significant...the first use of the name Christian. The term Christian is often used in our culture today. Sometimes misused to represent opinions or a mind-set that really have little to do with Jesus Christ. It is good to trace our heritage to see the name actually is first used in the Book of Acts. The identity is clearly in the life changing power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ in the community of Antioch. Here is the account of the first use...
"Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. He found him and brought him back to Antioch. They were there a whole year, meeting with the church and teaching a lot of people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were for the first time called Christians."
In our Acts reading is something very significant...the first use of the name Christian. The term Christian is often used in our culture today. Sometimes misused to represent opinions or a mind-set that really have little to do with Jesus Christ. It is good to trace our heritage to see the name actually is first used in the Book of Acts. The identity is clearly in the life changing power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ in the community of Antioch. Here is the account of the first use...
"Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. He found him and brought him back to Antioch. They were there a whole year, meeting with the church and teaching a lot of people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were for the first time called Christians."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
