Accusing

God might kill me, but I have no other hope. I am going to argue my case with him. But this is what will save me—I am not godless. If I were, I could not stand before him.
Job 13:15-16 NLT

I'm reading the Bible in chronological order this year, and currently studying through the Book of Job. It has always been my least favorite book of Scripture. I can't say that I've ever studied it before. I've read through it, but after the first time, at best, I skimmed through, much like we often do with the "begets" - you know, "the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er..." Although as I've gotten older, I'm more interested in the biblical genealogies. And now, I am also interested in Job.

There is no one I know who will deny Job's tragedies were horrendous. And it's where casual believers begin to question God's goodness when they read how Job's heartaches began. I won't go into all the he-said-then-he-saids other than to say, through the first 13 chapters, all of the monologues had some Truth in them. (I thank God for www.biblegateway.com. I admit, it helps me to use the Easy-to-Read version so I can grasp a better understanding.)

However, I will fast-forward to the here and now because God's Word is eternal and is always relatable. When most people suffer loss, the first thing they do is accuse God. By and large, people mistakenly believe that living a Christian life exempts us from suffering. Au contraire... There are no Scripture references to support that thinking.

It is in the dark times that our faith grows - if we will turn TO God instead of away from Him. It is in the loss, the suffering yet continuing to hope in God that we find His strength and Grace. The Word assures us that ALL things work together for our good. The good and the bad. The sun and the rain. The pruning and the fertilizer...

Prayer:

Father,
            Forgive us for judging anything You do. Open our eyes to see Your goodness and embrace Your process for us. We pray as David prayed, Make us to know Your ways, O Lord; teach us Your paths. Lead us in Your truth and teach us, for You are the God of our salvation. Remember Your mercy, O Lord, and Your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of our youth or our transgressions; according to Your steadfast love remember us, for the sake of Your goodness, O Lord! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen