"A Confusing God" July 29 Readings: Job 7-8, Acts 21:37–22:21, Psalm 89:7–13, Proverbs 19:1-2

Today's Readings - Job 7-8, Acts 21:37–22:21, Psalm 89:7–13, Proverbs 19:1-2

Devotional - A Confusing God 

What did Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar do that was so wrong?

At the end of the book of Job, after God has broken in and ministered to Job, after he has restored Job and strengthened his soul, he turned his attention to the friends. They came under his withering judgment. But why? What did they do that was so wrong?

In Job 8 we hear from the second of Job's friends, Bildad the Blowhard. Educated Eliphaz has already given his analysis of things and the rantings of Zealous Zophar will follow in later chapters. But in this chapter, we see in Bildad some of the root problems of the friends' response.

At the root of the problem is this simple issue. In the early days of a tragedy, when someone is dealing with deep pain and agony, even good theology is often not of great help. But the kind of weak theology that Bildad and the others were operating under was of no help at all. When someone is suffering, it is not our duty to explain all of God's workings - because we can't. It is our job to remind the hurting of what we know is true. God is good even if we can't see it. We can trust him even when we don't understand his workings.

That is the ultimate sin of the friends. They acted as though they had God figured out as if every action of God could be categorized and explained. God's workings in this world are often beyond our understanding and explanation. Bildad had a simple theology. If you do bad things, bad things happen to you. If you do good, good things happen. So, the bad that happened to Job must have been evidence of his own sin. He had it all figured out. And he pushed his false view of the world on Job. That drove Job to despair.

Here's the truth. This world is messed up. Badly. In this messed up world, messed up things happen - even to good people. Godly men and women get sick, get in accidents, suffer tragedies. People sometimes do terrible things to good people, to people who love and serve Jesus. Having a relationship with God does not shield us from hardship or tragedy.

The three friends failed to understand that Job was not abandoned by God, under God's judgment, but that he was still under the mighty hand of God. Though terrible things had happened to him, God was still at work to accomplish his wonderful plan in his life. Job couldn't understand it and neither could his friends, but God was still at work.

Bildad erred by thinking that he could force God to act within the boundaries of his theology or that he could explain every action of God according to his own understanding. Our job is not to always understand, but to trust the sovereign God we often do not understand. Eventually, Job learned that lesson and came to trust the God of heaven.

Father, may I trust you even when I am confused, even when I do not understand. 

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Do you ever find yourself trying to explain God or give simple solutions to complex situations? That is usually dangerous. 

Reflect on the truth that God is not always to be understood, but loved and trusted!