Job

The more I study Job, the more I’ve been appreciating him and his story.  In his story, Job says and asks things that are in my heart.  Things like, “Why me?  This isn’t fair!  I want to know why this is happening to me.  Life is random and it really doesn’t make sense.  I want to have an audience with God!  I wish I was dead.”  Sometimes I am aware of the cries of my heart.  Other times I am not conscious of what’s going on and still other times I ignore the unrest of my soul.

One of the reasons why I like the story is because Job’s life shows me what it’s like to seek God.  One of Job’s problems is that like me, he’s talking at God and about God instead of talking to Him.  I don’t know if Job could not or would not go to God, but the good news is that God came to Job.  This is the Gospel message that Jesus brings to us.  Jesus’ life tells us that God is a God who wants to make Himself known and He wants to be in relationship with man.

To know God doesn’t answer the “why” questions of life.  But knowing Him satisfies the soul.  This is why Job acknowledges, “My ears have heard of You but now my eyes have seen You.  Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6).  I hear the Apostle Paul agreeing with Job as he declares, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…” (Philippians 3:7).