Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Job 17-20

In my house, at dinner, we take turns saying what our favorite and least favorite parts of the day were.  Today my daughters couldn't come up with a least favorite, and I explained the worst part of my day was forgetting to take my darks out of the dryer so they were wrinklier than I like.  Let's be clear here: the worst part of my day was a couple of wrinkled shirts and socks.

Obviously, I cannot identify with Job's level of despair.

But it really has me thinking about the root of this story.  Satan mentions to God that it's easy for a human whose life is a cakewalk to be godly.  Job is confused by the torment raining down on him, but never waivers in his love for his Creator.  Impressive.  Scary.  I know the day may come when I'm tested and I want to be prepared.  I want to stock up on faith the way a doomsday prepper stocks up on Spam.  I want to prepare by hoarding Scripture in my memory banks and ensuring communication lines with Jesus are open and ready.  I want the church to be my comrade and my ammo to be hope.  I want to remember Job and his loyalty to God even as his heart was broken: "I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth." (19:25)

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