Job reminds me of a junior high student at times. The story starts out with Job blest by God. He is very righteous and upstanding. He has a family, place to live, servants, lots of livestock and possessions. When this is taken away and tragedy befalls on Job he first withstands it. The second wave he crumbles (it seems right now). Several friends come to visit and start having a discussion with him. Through this discussion Job complains and seems to focus on only his suffering. The world revolves around Job. At one juncture his friends point out that after all those Job has helped why is his suffering so bad and will not let others help.
There are many curious lines of in the conversation with Job. Much of it is depressingly curious, but there are also some insightful things. The concept right now in the book that I am engaging with is this idea of blessing by God. What is it that God bestows upon us that makes us blessed. There is the idea that wealth and resources make us blest (very USA thought). There is also the idea that it is our knowledge, connections, work, or identity. A pastor once told me there are two things that are important/eternal. Relationships and God (Word of God). As I read Job I want to tell him this. Hopefully his friends will.
Job also states many times that God will look for him and he will no longer be living. This seems to imply that God's presence has left Job. As I noted before that is something that Cain could not handle. Cain probably would have preferred death to losing God's presence. As I continue to journey with Job (remind me never to let my students read this book to get any ideas about how to complain) I hope we both get to see how God might deliver him.
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