In response to Bildad’s remark that he should seek out God and plead for mercy, Job asks, “How can a man be in the right before God?” (Job 9:2)
That’s a good question. How does anyone get right with God? Here’s a better question: does anyone even care?
I don’t think most people care. It’s not on their radar. God takes a back seat to pursuing the right relationships, opportunities, experiences, and things in life. He’s a benign deity who’s not part of life’s equation. We assume he’ll understand that we’ve done our best when it’s time to check out of this life and move on to the next. If there is one.
You know who cares? God cares. He doesn’t wait for us to get right with him. He’d be waiting a long time. He comes to straighten things out with us. He comes to show us that we’re never off his radar. He comes to show us that he cares.
How can you let someone know that God cares? You have to care. You have to care about someone else. God works through people to reach people. Sometimes it’s a prophet. Sometimes it’s fishermen (disciples). Sometimes it’s you.
You don’t have to get right with God. He’s already shown that you’re alright with him. He demonstrates his love by giving up his son Jesus for you.
After seven days of silence, Job and his friends spend lots of chapters trying to figure out why his life is in shambles.
The first friend to weigh in is Eliphaz. He has a simple explanation:
Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Where were the upright ever destroyed? As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it. (Job 4:7,8)
Eliphaz, like a lot of people, believes in some kind of spiritual karma. If bad things are happening, you must have done something to deserve it. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. He goes on to say,
Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. (5:17)
While there is a kernel of truth in his words, we know there’s a whole lot more going on. Job hasn’t done anything to deserve so much loss in his life. In fact, his suffering at the hands of Satan was because he was extraordinarily faithful. Remember God’s evaluation of Job? “He is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8).
So what’s going on when you want to scream, “Why is this happening to me?”
Sometimes you know why. You screwed up. Plain and simple. You opened your mouth (again). You smoked for years and years. You lied. You ate the whole box of donuts (again). You built your home in a flood area. You didn’t floss.
Sometimes someone else screwed up. They backed into your car but never left a note. They lied to you (again). They stole your identity. They spilled red wine on your light gray carpet. They didn’t tell you that house you bought was in a flood area.
Sometimes stuff happens. Volcanos erupt. Cold weather freezes pipes. Viruses spread. Cancer cells multiply. Pregnant mothers miscarry. Rivers overflow their banks and flood communities. Bugs eat your garden vegetables.
Sometimes God kicks you out of paradise. Sometimes he sends plagues. Sometimes God raises up foreign armies for invasion. Sometimes his own son is executed.
It’s a broken world filled with broken people, so broken bones, broken hearts, and broken promises shouldn’t surprise us. Even if we do everything right.
When it’s a really good day, why not ask the same question? Why not wonder, “Why this happening to me?” Or, “What did I do to deserve this?” It wasn’t because you were exceptionally good. It’s because God is. Every good and perfect gift comes from him.
In the opening chapters of Job, we know what’s going on. Job doesn’t have a clue.
We know that God appreciates Job’s faithfulness. We know that Satan has asserted that Job is faithful only because his life is good. God allows Satan to take everything from Job: animals, children, and his health.
What is Job’s response to all this? “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). Job says to his wife, “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” (2:10). Job only sees the hand of God in everything he has experienced, both the good and the bad.
What do you think of that? What do you think of Job’s assessment of God? How do you feel about a God who takes life away. What do you do with a God from whom we experience bad things?
In the Old Testament, God floods the earth, wiping out all life that isn’t safely on board the ark.
God lets his people get hungry and thirsty in the wilderness. Why? To get their attention. So he can show them that he provides what they need.
When King David calls for an unnecessary census, the consequences from God are a plague that kills thousands of people.
In Revelation, disastrous things happen when the wrath of God is unleashed on an unbelieving world.
Many will ask, “Why does God allow bad things to happen?” What about asking, “Why does God cause bad things to happen?”
It’s not an easy question to answer. And I doubt I’ll be able to answer it very well here. But I’ll share what I’ve learned and how I’ve worked through this. I’ve got a logical brain, so this works for me.
God is good, all-powerful, loving, and sovereign. If he allows something to happen, even if we think it’s bad, it’s for a good reason or purpose. Nothing happens outside of his control or his knowledge. Nothing surprises him or catches him off-guard.
Think about it. In hindsight, you learned a lot from and even benefitted from experiences you thought were terrible in the moment. You’ll never figure it out in that moment. Only later will you understand.
God sees the much bigger picture. And he cares. He knows how much it hurts, how unfair it is, and what it’s like to weep. He’s been here. He’s done that. That’s what Jesus did.
The bottom line is, “Do you trust him?” You have faith, but do you trust him? Do you trust him to bring you through a flood, or fire, or “the valley of the shadow of death” to a new, different, and better place?
For the next 36 chapters, Job and his friends will try to figure all this out. In the end, there is no other path than trusting God.
My dog Winston (the White Westhighland Terrier) believe that everyone is his friend. His tail is up and wagging for the vet, the vet tech, the front desk receptionist at the vet, the Rottweiler who often walks by our house, the three little terriers who walk down the street, grandkids, in-laws, our small group, and anyone else who will let him jump up in their lap.
Nehemiah has gone out on a limb to ask for time off from his cupbearer job in Susa to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. It was a huge project, made more challenging by enemies who did everything they could to stop the work. Rather than taking an allowance, he fed hundreds of people at his own expense.
As the walls and gates near completion, a few of Nehemiah’s enemies try to buddy up to him. Four times Sanballat and Geshem invite him to a little get-together, and all four times, Nehemiah declines, answering, “I’m busy. I have a lot of work to do.”
He knows. He knows “they intended to do him harm” (Nehemiah 6:2). Nehemiah was loyal, brave, hard working, and discerning. He knows that not everyone who wants to be your friend should be your friend.
That last statement is hard. I don’t like that truth. I’ve always operated under the notion that if you want friends, you should be a friend. So if someone befriends you, you ought to welcome their friendship.
Many of you reading this have learned the hard way that this doesn’t always work out.
Some befriend us to take advantage of us. It’s just a matter of time before they ask for money.
Others want to be our friends so they can tell others that they are our friends. These folks will broadcast their relationship with us in their promotional material. Yes, I’ve had people join the church so they can add that to their resume.
Some will be friends for a while, but at some time and for some reason they will turn. They will turn on you, to make you the bad guy, so they look like the good guy.
There are those who jump into friendship, but immediately disappear into the ether. They literally disappear, and you never see them again.
By this time you’re thinking, “Wow, he’s gotten cynical.” You are right. And you’re thinking, “Yeah, I’ve had friends like that.” You’re also wondering, “So who should I be friends with?”
That is a very good question.
Don’t let betrayal, disappointment, or threats deter you. Just be a friend with anyone and everyone. The only way to know is to dive in and do it. You can’t predict who’s going to be a keeper and who you throw back.
Don’t expect too much from a friend. They will not live up to your expectations. No human does. They will let you down. Just remember: they are your friend.
Do invest a lot in friendship. You be the one who is there, who cares, who gives, who gives, who goes beyond expectations.
It’s a lot easier to make friends when you are in school. The friends I remember the best are from elementary, junior high, high school, and college. After that, it’s a lot harder. Why? I don’t know. It’s different when you’re an adult. But it’s no less important.
Must you be friends with everyone who befriends you? No. Be discerning. Be open to new friends. Be a friend. But sometimes it’s okay to walk away.
It sounds like Ezra painted himself into a corner with God.
King Artaxerxes sent Ezra back to Jerusalem to teach and reestablish worship in Jerusalem with plenty of resources to get the job done. But when it’s time to go, Ezra faith is put to the test.
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” (Ezra 8:21,22)
Ezra told the king that he had God on his side. True enough. But Ezra also has a whole bunch of gold, silver, and bronze to take back to Judah. Without some soldiers to accompany him and his fellow travelers, they would be sitting ducks for robbery along the way. But he can’t ask for that. Ezra went all in on God’s protection. There was no going back.
So was Ezra faithful or foolish? Well, they made it, and Ezra gives God all the credit. “The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way” (Ezra 8:31).
It’s really easy to second guess Ezra. Remember when the devil tempted Jesus to leap off the top of the temple, with the assurance that angels would catch him before he hit the ground? Jesus declined, reminding the devil, “You don’t test God.” Of course, you don’t take advice from the devil. He’s a liar. But how do you know if you’re trusting God or testing God?
First of all, Ezra was a priest steeped in the word of God. He knew the promises of God, and knew that the exiles’ return to Jerusalem had been promised by God. This was God’s plan, not his own. If God says it, it’s the right thing to do.
Second, is it about you or about God? If it glorifies him, it’s trust. If it’s for approval from others, you might be going out on a treacherous limb.
Finally, you don’t know. Our hearts are deceitful. We lie to ourselves. We say it’s all about God, when it’s really all about us. Lord, have mercy.
Okay, here’s my conclusion. You’re probably testing God not trusting him. Admit it. Repent. He knows. He forgives. Learn something. Don’t go out on that limb again. Next question?
A “through the bible” devotion from 2 Chronicles 35.
What would make you exclaim, “This was the best Christmas (or birthday or other celebration) ever”? It might be the presents you received. Or the people gathered with you. Maybe the food was outstanding. A live band, fireworks, or an open bar could make an occasion the best ever. How about the amount of debris left to clean up the next day?
“Josiah kept a Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem” (2 Chronicles 35:1). Boy did he ever! “No Passover like it had been kept in Israel since the day so Samuel the prophet” (35:18).
What made this Passover so memorable?
First, the numbers are amazing. 37,600 lambs and young goats were slaughtered and roasted, along with 3,800 bulls. It’s close to twice as big as the Passover King Hezekiah kept, which was best one since Solomon was on the throne (2 Chronicles 30:23-26).
Josiah kept this Passover “according to the word of the Lord by Moses” (35:4). Those repairing the temple discovered the Book of the Law of the Lord. A convicted but repentant King Josiah made sure they followed God’s instructions to the letter.
Finally, the king kept the best Passover ever during the decline of the southern kingdom of Judah. In just a few decades after Josiah’s reign, Babylonians would capture and burn Jerusalem, and take whoever was left into an exile that would last seventy years. Those whom God loved rejected him and every messenger he sent to warn them. He had no choice There was no remedy (36:16).
What’s the best worship event you’ve ever experienced? Anyone who’s been to church has a story about an amazing service. The more I think about it, the more I add to my list. Mine would have to be my call service at the seminary, my son’s ordination, baptizing my children and grandchildren, and my father’s funeral. They were all very different but powerful moments.
When Ahab, the king of Israel, asked Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, to team up and go to war, Jehoshaphat says, “Sure, but maybe we should ask God about this.” Sound advice.
Ahab has a team of four hundred prophets who all agree, “God will give you the victory!” At that point, I imagine Jehoshaphat rolls his eyes when he asks, “Don’t you have anyone else? Isn’t there another prophet of the Lord we can ask?” He’s either leary of four hundred voices that all have the exact same message, or he knows that Ahab had built shrines for Baal and “did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him” (1 Kings 16:33).
Ahab replies, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil” (2 Chronicles 18:7).
When Paul told Timothy, “The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Timothy 4:3), he wasn’t telling him anything new. There is, as Solomon told us, nothing new under the sun.
Perhaps we all need to ask ourselves, “Am I listening to what I want to hear, or what I need to hear?” You and I hardly realize it, but social media algorithms make sure we see more digital content of what we like, desire, and approve of. In other words, the online world will always tell you want you want to hear.
Play with it sometime. Get on your preferred social media platform and search for a particular item. Sneakers. Labrador Retrievers. Wine. Before you know it, your feed will be filled with everyone with a cute Lab, wine subscriptions, and state-of-the-art athletic shoes.
Try this, too. Open up your bible. Give God a few minutes to speak to you. It might have nothing to do with what’s on your mind. It might not be what you want to hear at the moment. But it will always be what you need to hear. You might find encouragement, a warning, something shocking, or a promise to hang onto. You’ll hear something that generates questions, shocks you, or even makes you think, “I can’t believe God would say something like that!”
Writers join groups of writers who will honestly critique their work. We need people who will tell us where we need to improve and what we need to work on. Otherwise, with the encouragement of close friends, we never really hone our craft. (Come to think of it, I need to do this.)
Folks in leadership positions often want to have people around them who don’t always agree with them. People who challenge their assumptions. Advisors who make them second-think their decisions.
Couples discover early in their marriage that they are very different from their partner. Each has sought out someone different, someone who can complete what is missing in their lives. It’s not easy, but it is the way we grow and become the person we never could by ourselves.
Thank you, Lord, for those in our lives (pastors, spouses, children, parents) who tell us what we need to hear!
This is a “through the bible” devotion from 2 Chronicles 9.
I tend to zip through the books of Chronicles, but one verse slows me down and makes me smile. “Once every three years the ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks” (2 Chronicles 9:21).
The writer is describing the wealth of King Solomon, an ancient version of Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos. Solomon didn’t have to do much to grow his assets. In addition to gold and silver, every explorer merchant, king, and governor who stopped by brought gold, silver, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules (9:24). And apes!
On the one hand, I have to wonder, “Why apes?” On the other hand, when you’ve got money to burn, why not? My research revealed that nobility would train baboons to climb palm trees and bring down coconuts. I suppose that’s like training your dog to bring in the newspaper in the morning.
Besides the parallel passage in 1 Kings 10, this is the only place that apes are mentioned in scripture. My trips to zoos always include time in the primate exhibit. Watching monkeys, chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas is as entertaining as any movie or TV show. Baboons are fun to watch, but they usually don’t do much other than look back at me.
When the first Six Flags Great Adventure park opened in Jackson, NJ, it featured a drive-through safari which included a baboon exhibit. We had to keep our car windows closed because the apes would climb on the car and peer in the window at us. If your car had a vinyl landau roof, forget it. The baboons tore many to shreds!
Solomon didn’t have to worry about that. He had lots of chariots but no vinyl. Plus, I’m confident he had skilled trainers for his collection of palm-tree climbing, coconut grabbing baboons.
Didn’t you hate it when your parents flipped your argument and used it against you? When you got in trouble for doing something, you justified your actions by explaining, “Everyone else was doing it.”
Your parents may have replied, “If everyone else was jumping off the top of a building, would you join them?”
Of course we want to say, “No,” but you and I know that it’s hard to swim upstream and not do what everyone else is doing. It’s hard to be Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when the music starts playing and everyone falls down to worship the giant golden statue King Nebuchadnezzar set up. It’s especially hard when the consequence for noncompliance is the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:4-6).
I’ve often wondered if the Chaldeans had a dedicated furnace they kept on simmer for moments like this. I suppose it might have been a kiln that no one was using to fire pottery.
It couldn’t have been easy, but these three wouldn’t do it. They had no doubt that God was able to save them the furnace. But even if he didn’t, they were not about to worship anyone but him.
Nebuchadnezzar was so furious at their response that he turned up the heat seven times more than normal and tossed them in. When he and his advisors looked in, they were walking around the furnace with a fourth, most likely Christ himself in an Old Testament cameo. The one true God is not just someone you bow down before. He is someone who come alongside you in good and horrible situations.
Hundreds of years later, the devil would pressure Jesus to bow down and worship him. If Jesus would do that, for just a moment, the devil promised to relinquish all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. Jesus refuses. First of all, those were already his. Second, God’s word is clear: “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve” (Matthew 4:10).
Since most of my readers live in the United States, where we have freedom of religion, we most likely will never be threatened with fire for our beliefs. But we will be influenced by what everyone else is doing.
So it’s a good idea to make every effort to be influenced by the best influencer of all, Jesus.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego get an ornament on the Jesse Tree, reminding us of the one who comes to save, Jesus Christ,.
Waite for it... 