Their words may scoff and bite, but I haven’t heard any laughter myself. But Job calls it out when he says, “yet my friends laugh at me.” If there was some laughter, it would not have been the funny, “that’s a good joke” kind of laughter. It would have been mocking, smirking, disgusted kind of laughter.
Job does a great job of recovering from the blows of his friends. He didn’t have a far fall after he was already so low because of his great loss. Still, Job is thoughtful in his responses even if we can see his agony shining through.
What he said about God’s majesty really struck a chord. Job said, “For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being.” Taken out of Job’s rant, this verse is quite potent. Its truth is staggering for how we perceive the world and respond to it. We are in God’s hand. That’s how I read it! Job may not have known he was pointing to us, but we are a “living thing” that God has breathed life into. How does that make you want to respond to God? What an awesome God we worship and adore!
Job even calls out to me personally when he talks about the “aged” being wise. Now I’m not as old as our parents who are both in their 90’s, but Job truly believes God is the only wise one. Job says, “But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are his.” For someone who believes their doom was brought on by God, there must have been a lot of turmoil going on for Job to still reason like this.
How easy is it for us to go through a life-changing event where we blame God, and then continue to give God honor and respect? Job has set us a great example. Job recognizes that God is in control and cites cases when it is true and observable.
I like to call those cases, “God Sightings.” Over the years, I’ve regularly had students comment on where they’ve seen God moving in their everyday experiences. Sometimes it’s a great ice breaker to a small group session. It can take some getting used to, or even take practice. How would you answer the question, “Where did you see God moving today?” Your response would be a “God sighting.”
There’s another very pointed comment Job brings up as he addresses what God can do. Job says, “He builds up nations, and he destroys them. He expands nations, and he abandons them.” When you think of what the history books tell us, you know Job’s observation is true. We can see God’s hand in what happened to Israel and Judah by the Assyrians and Babylonians. The fingerprints of God are on the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, although I’m not sure those rulers would have given our God any credit for their success. What’s more frightening, is to be one of the nations God abandons. He did that, too.
Job knows his history perhaps, even though the writer seems to go to great lengths to keep the exact time in history the book of Job takes place. I don’t think the “when” matters because tragedy can happen to us at any time, and if it does, we need to know how to respond to God. It’s a timeless message.
Job must now be feeling a little like he’s been taken advantage by God. For some unknown reason to Job, he has been targeted to receive the opposite of God’s blessing. Job has lost everything, yet he worships and acknowledges the power of God. Another great example from Job!
Let’s pray. Father, help me to push aside all troubles that keep me from focusing 100% on you. Don’t let my let circumstances disillusion me and cause me to be anxious. You are a very big God and there is nothing you can’t handle. I thank you for fighting all of the raging battles I cannot see. Renew my spirit today and refresh me to do your work. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
