A couple of weeks ago we suffered some very high winds and much damage done and when I went for a walk last weekend I came across a number of signs of the damage included this tree which was blocking the path I was on. Sometimes we find that as we go on through life we find our way is blocked unexpectedly. What is our reaction when this happens? Do we say and act like Job after he received a catalogue of bad news including the death of his children:- “At this Job and tore his clothes and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.””(Job 1vv21-22)? Or do we have a good whinge at God? One of the reasons that Satan is quite happy for no one to believe him is that people then blame God for his workmanship. After all, the setbacks that happened to Job were Satan’s work and not God’s. The problems that Job had were exacerbated by his comforters who assumed that Jobs misfortunes were as a result of some hidden sin which they encouraged him to repent of. This eventually wore Job down and he found himself trying to justify himself. We are often in a similar position where we begin quite philosophical but become increasingly agitated when things do not improve. This is not helped when instead of Job’s comforters we have preachers on TV who will attribute other people’s setbacks to a lack of faith and all people need to do to reverse this is send a fat cheque in their direction. Now there many testimonies of believers who have had positive outcomes and the Christian media is not shy in broadcasting them. Though what about the many other cases where healings do not occur, financial problems are not overcome, addictions are not cured? Now when politicians are asked such questions will say:- “That’s a good question!” And hope the questioner will be so pleased that they have asked a good question that they will forget that it has not been answered. Sometimes there are no easy answers. Paul survived many hardships, including beatings, shipwrecks and imprisonments, yet early Christian tradition claims that he was executed at the end of his second imprisonment in Rome. In what Bible scholars believe to be his last letter (2 Timothy) Paul wrote:- “I am already at the point of being poured out like a sacrifice, and it is now time for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course God had for me and I have been faithful. Now the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that Day; and not only to me, but all who have longed for His appearing.” [2 Tim. vv6-8 The Truth] Even though things were bleak for Paul he asked Timothy to come and visit and bring others who would help him in his ministry. He was persevering to the end. Job said in reply to his ‘comforters’:- “Though He slay me, yet I will hope in Him; I will surely defend my ways to his face. Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance, for no godless man would dare come before Him.” [Job 13 vv15-16.] The danger is that when things go wrong that instead of running the race we give up too soon. As someone once said we have to keep on keeping on.
David Rose. 2015