“My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.
Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."
Job 42:5-6
Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."
Job 42:5-6
Wow! Another year of women’s Bible study at my church is over and what a year it proved to be as we read and studied the books of James and Job. Never have I heard more comments of approval than I did during our study of James. Women loved it, and I think the main reason is its practicality. James, you see, tells us how to put our faith into action, making it clear that faith without works is dead. We women want to see God alive and at work in our everyday comings-and-goings, and James tells us our part in making that happen.
From there we moved into the book of Job, that captivating story both Christian and non-Christian alike know about, yet it seems few have read the entire book or looked beyond the fact that it’s a story of suffering. But we did! And what an adventure it proved to be! While it is true that it’s a story of almost unbelievable suffering, it’s much more than that. It’s the story of God pursuing mankind, not only the man named Job, but you and me as well. For you see, God wants nothing less than a one-on-one relationship with each of us.
Job, you see, thought he knew God and it is true, he did know a lot about God, but he didn’t know Him personally. He thought the way to know God was by living a blameless life and that God would then reward him with a pain free life. But when suffering came his way, Job’s faith in God was up-and-down, back-and-forth, and like a friend of mine described, it was like a roller coaster. Even though he never outright rejected God, he wanted justice. He wanted to argue his case before God. But when Job finally realized how small he was in comparison to God, he repented of his sin and thereby came to know God personally and the roller coaster ride was over. God even blessed the latter part of his life more than the beginning.
Perhaps we should have studied these books the other way around—Job first and then James. For Job teaches us the necessity of repenting of our sin if we want a one-on-one relationship with God, and James teaches us how to keep it going, how to accompany our faith with action.
Roller coaster rides may be fun at an amusement park, but when it comes to faith in God, keeping it steady and smooth is the way to go!
Blessings to each one,
Judy Rose Grubaugh
From there we moved into the book of Job, that captivating story both Christian and non-Christian alike know about, yet it seems few have read the entire book or looked beyond the fact that it’s a story of suffering. But we did! And what an adventure it proved to be! While it is true that it’s a story of almost unbelievable suffering, it’s much more than that. It’s the story of God pursuing mankind, not only the man named Job, but you and me as well. For you see, God wants nothing less than a one-on-one relationship with each of us.
Job, you see, thought he knew God and it is true, he did know a lot about God, but he didn’t know Him personally. He thought the way to know God was by living a blameless life and that God would then reward him with a pain free life. But when suffering came his way, Job’s faith in God was up-and-down, back-and-forth, and like a friend of mine described, it was like a roller coaster. Even though he never outright rejected God, he wanted justice. He wanted to argue his case before God. But when Job finally realized how small he was in comparison to God, he repented of his sin and thereby came to know God personally and the roller coaster ride was over. God even blessed the latter part of his life more than the beginning.
Perhaps we should have studied these books the other way around—Job first and then James. For Job teaches us the necessity of repenting of our sin if we want a one-on-one relationship with God, and James teaches us how to keep it going, how to accompany our faith with action.
Roller coaster rides may be fun at an amusement park, but when it comes to faith in God, keeping it steady and smooth is the way to go!
Blessings to each one,
Judy Rose Grubaugh