Devotion: Wanting life to be fair!

The majority of the book of Job consists of a series of speeches by Job and his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. They respond to one another as Job professes his innocence while the friends, each in turn, accuse him of pride and blasphemy, of hidden sins and faults and of guilt that merits punishment by God. What they are doing is quite common today—blaming the victim. People who are suffering have somehow brought this misfortune upon themselves. People who have been assaulted are accused of enticing their attackers. People caught in poverty are accused of laziness.

In the face of their unwarranted attacks, Job responds by making a bold request. Basically, Job subpoenas God! Job dares to ask God to testify concerning Job and his character. Job remains faithful to God and steadfast in his faith in God. “I would lay my case before [the Lord], and fill my mouth with arguments. I would learn what he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me.” [23:4-5]

Job’s faith in God is admirable but perhaps a bit naive. Job seems to think that, given the opportunity, God will explain God’s self and help clear up the confusion. By questioning God and getting God to explain why Job is suffering, Job will at last have an answer to the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” and the world will start to make sense once again.

M. Scott Peck, in his book, “The Road Less Traveled,” writes, “Life is difficult. Once we truly know that life is difficult—once we truly understand and accept it—then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.”

Like Job, we want life to be fair, not difficult. We want the world to make sense. Like Job, we struggle to accept the reality in which we find ourselves. But despite our wishes, God comes to us in the midst of the chaos, revealing God’s self through all the wonder and beauty, the confusion and pain. God stays connected to us, assuring us that nothing can come between us and God!

As Paul declares, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, not things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [Romans 8:38-39]