Job 31:4
Verse: Does not he see my ways, and number all my steps?
Reflection: This verse makes me think of Cameron, watching her practice taking her first steps, some too wide, some too long but she just keeps at it. It also makes me think of my Dad. When I was younger I used to have to skip to keep up with him. Now he takes my hand to walk up the driveway. All those years of walking have kept him in good shape. A bit of wear and tear comes does come with 90 years of living.
Some times I have a difficult time wrapping my mind around the idea that God can see everything. Then I have to remind myself that I’m considering this with human measurements of time and ability.
I still have a hard time understanding why, if God can see everything, He allows the suffering of children.
“The solution is actually readily at hand, once one ceases to apply human limitations to God. If God is outside of nature, then He is outside of space and time. In that context, God could in the moment of creation of the universe also know every detail of the future. That could include the the formation of the stars, planets, and galaxies, all of the chemistry, physics, geology, and biology that led to the formation of life on earth, and the evolution of humans, right to the moment of your reading this book-and beyond.”
The Language of God, A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Francis S. Collins -page 205
Prayer: Help me to be comfortable with the idea that I am not meant to understand everything.
Job 30:1
But now they make sport of me, men who are younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.
reflection: Now that I am more than half way through my life I view time and age differently. I see how young people view older people and the reverse. I like it when the preconceived notions on both sides vaporize. In fact I don’t even like the notion of sides. Just different places in time. Some of the wisest people I’ve met are six and I can’t wait to see them grow. Some of the people most open to learning are in their 90’s. I see how people view my father who is 90. I’m glad to say that most people are respectful. We see the full gamut of attitudes when we take a short walk up the road every night. Some slow down and give us room and others blast by, self absorbed in their universe of one. When I look at my young students I envision the grown up they will be and when I look at those with many years I envision the teenager they once were.
Prayer: Help me to be respectful to people of all ages.
Job 29 verse 17
I broke the fangs of the unrighteous,
and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
Reflection: I’ve written about the same image before. A man spreading his arms wide towards a group of thugs who wanted to get around him and continue to beat a man. He held them off and they moved on. When I read this verse that image flashed in my mind. So I went on youtube searching the LA riots thinking I might be able to find out more about him. I didn’t find anything about him but did find some work about others. There were heroic people that day, but you don’t hear much about them. They don’t usually want to talk much. It’s not about them. They often say it’s the least I could do. After awhile I couldn’t search anymore. The cruelty of one person towards another can be mind boggling. On the other end of the spectrum, people risking their all for strangers.
I thought when I got to chapter 42 that I would be done with Job. Now I realize it will be a very long time if ever that I’m “done” with Job. Every where you turn someone is facing the questions Job asked. Why suffering, why is a loved daughter suddenly taken away when the mother is already facing cancer, why are innocent children harmed?
Robert Sutherland the author of “Putting God on Trial; the biblical book of Job” send me his transcript which was so thoughtful because I was feeling overwhelmed. I started to read it then realized I wanted a book I could hold in my hand so ordered a copy. For me there is something important about having a real book to touch. I started to read it, then put it down so I wouldn’t be overly influenced. But I just opened it as I was writing this to page 19 and the paragraph begins “the book of Job demands much of its readers” and ends with” More than any other biblical book, this book will tell you who you are by the choices it forces you to make.” I have to keep going, finish Job, so I can begin his book.
Meanwhile I was at the library and happened to notice this book “god’s Problem; How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question -Why we suffer” by Bart D. Ehraman Harper one 2008. This stuff is starting to jump out at me. There is an entire chapter on Job…. Another book I will read after finishing Job. I went to the end of the book and read the final paragraph. This is such tough subject to take on that I wondered how was he going to pull it all together?
” In the end, we may not have ultimate solutions to life’s problems. We may not know the why’s and wherefore’s. But just because we don’t have an answer to suffering does not mean that we cannot have a response to it . Our response should be to work to alleviate suffering wherever possible and to live life a well as we can.” page 278
Prayer: A prayer for Ally’s Mom, may she have the strength to travel through this day.
