Day 19 - 40 Days in the Old Testament
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days in the Old Testament
Day 19 | THE PROBLEM OF HUMAN SUFFERING
40 Days in the Old Testament
Day 19 | THE PROBLEM OF HUMAN SUFFERING
THE PROBLEM OF HUMAN SUFFERING
Job 1:21
“And 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.’” (NKJV)
Job is the first section of books in the Old Testament called the Poetry and Wisdom books.
The book opens with Satan in heaven talking to God (kind of a weird picture) and challenging Him that if Job didn't have it so good, he would turn away from God. God allows Satan to tempt Job by destroying everything but Job himself.
The painful experiences and conversations between Job and his friends who come to be with him in his time of loss, agony, and pain invite readers to ponder suffering and justice.
After Job loses everything – wealth, children, and health – three friends sit with him around the fire and are… just there. I call this the "ministry of being there" and suggest our church folks do the same for hurting people in their circle. Just be there.
But then the friends start rationalizing and trying to figure out WHY all these bad things happened to Job. What have you done wrong? Where is God? And so forth. These discussions prove one thing… our wisdom is limited and wrong conclusions easy to find.
Finally, God Himself talks to Job and questions him. These questions – way beyond the wisdom of any human – prove how we come nowhere close to God in our knowledge or understanding. Thus, we must rest in Him and follow His wisdom… not our frail understanding.
Today, the short version of why suffering exists is that we live on a sinful, broken planet. Satan is the "power of the air, " bringing suffering and disaster everywhere. God wants us to TRUST HIM, which requires a personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.
Prayer: LORD, even when I don't understand, I know that You know all and that through Jesus, I'm one of your children. I trust in You. Amen.
Job 1:21
“And 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.’” (NKJV)
Job is the first section of books in the Old Testament called the Poetry and Wisdom books.
The book opens with Satan in heaven talking to God (kind of a weird picture) and challenging Him that if Job didn't have it so good, he would turn away from God. God allows Satan to tempt Job by destroying everything but Job himself.
The painful experiences and conversations between Job and his friends who come to be with him in his time of loss, agony, and pain invite readers to ponder suffering and justice.
After Job loses everything – wealth, children, and health – three friends sit with him around the fire and are… just there. I call this the "ministry of being there" and suggest our church folks do the same for hurting people in their circle. Just be there.
But then the friends start rationalizing and trying to figure out WHY all these bad things happened to Job. What have you done wrong? Where is God? And so forth. These discussions prove one thing… our wisdom is limited and wrong conclusions easy to find.
Finally, God Himself talks to Job and questions him. These questions – way beyond the wisdom of any human – prove how we come nowhere close to God in our knowledge or understanding. Thus, we must rest in Him and follow His wisdom… not our frail understanding.
Today, the short version of why suffering exists is that we live on a sinful, broken planet. Satan is the "power of the air, " bringing suffering and disaster everywhere. God wants us to TRUST HIM, which requires a personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.
Prayer: LORD, even when I don't understand, I know that You know all and that through Jesus, I'm one of your children. I trust in You. Amen.