Do you ever cry out to God and complain about things that are happening in your life? “It’s NOT FAIR,” I’ve said many times. “Why did You DO such and such?” Or, “Why did You LET that happen???”
I think if we were actually standing before God Himself, we would be more like Isaiah (chapter 6) who fell on his face before the Almighty, like a dead man. But, we, like Job, cry out our complaints to God and He doesn’t strike us dead. He loves us!
“Why did you bring me out of the womb?” Job cries in pain and despair in 10:18. “Would that I had died before any eye had seen me.” (Before you judge him, remember that he has lost ALL his children, ALL his wealth, ALL his health. And his wife wishes him dead.)
Then Zophar (friend #3) starts in on him, the worst “friend” so far. He basically tells Job that he is even WORSE than he thinks. “Know that God exacts of you LESS than your guilt deserves,” 11:8.
WOW! That’s LOW.
In 11:12, Zophar calls Job “stupid” and a “wild ass.” Yikes!
In his response in chapter 12, Job gets a bit sarcastic. “No doubt you,” he says to his friends, “are THE people and wisdom will die with you.” He’s amazed that he is a ‘laughingstock” to them. He, who has called to God and God answered him, a “just and blameless man.” “Am I a laughingstock?” he asks.
Then Job goes on in that chapter to praise God and His absolute sovereignty in everything.
In 13:15 Job speaks those magnificent words of trust, “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.” WOW
A roller-coaster, that is Job in this book, in his pain, among his friends. He will get lower. He will go higher before he actually confronts the living and Almighty God. Then we will see Job truly humbled AND lifted up.
So, don’t give up, keep reading each day!
Morning Meditations 