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Job 1 - 42

I lost all my notes for the book of Job so I thought I should post the communion message I did this past sunday. Enjoy!

I've just finished the book of Job and unlike our English bibles, it is part of the poetry section along with psalms, proverbs, ecclesiastes and songs of Solomon.

The story of Job is a story that we can all identify with. Questions of "why we are here" or "why do the righteous experience pain" or "why does God seem distant during our tribulations". 

I often ask those questions inwardly eventhough and a voice inside of me, similar to Job's friends, tells me there's no place for such questions or thoughts. That we have no right in questioning God and his judgement.

And yet to deny those questions is to deny the very essence of being human im the first place.

The book of Job deals with our weaknesses with pain, carelessness, faithlessness, anger and bitterness. But instead of suppressing those feelings, Job shows that it's ok to be weak in the eyes of men and of God. It's ok to show resentment, pain and anguish and asking God for answers.

(NIV)Job 29:2-6

“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me, [3] when his lamp shone on my head and by his light I walked through darkness! [4] Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house, [5] when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me, [6] when my path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.

Here Job remembers how God used to walk with him and used to find protection in him. This reminds that even Jesus shows weakness on the cross and even then asked God why he had been forsaken.

But both these men didn't ask empty questions to be controversial, fueling there're own personal vendetta because they were hurt and now there're hiding behind their cynicism and faithless nature. But these were men with a deep passion for God and his word and understood the very nature of God and his will. Because of that, I believe those questions were not really for God to answer and for us to be reminded of our place in relation to God and be mindful of God's loving nature in all things.

So in all things, we should not suppress our questions, fears or doubts. But these should bring us close to God, knowing we are nothing in comparison and are in awe of his love and plans for our lives fully revealed in Jesus Christ.

Amen

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