Reading through the Bible in 2020: Notes from the Bible Recap Day 9

Reading through the Bible in 2020

Bible Recap Day 9 Job 21-23

Personal notes from reading Job 21-23

Again, Job sets his friends straight.  His endurance amazes me. With a weary soul, he’s gone back and forth, back and forth, defending what he knows is right. This is so inspiring to me! I feel like I’m on trial constantly with some who are close to me.  There’s judgement and I’m very aware of it. It can be exhausting. I love being able to read through Job’s account in its entirety and know that God is sovereign over my life. The judgement of others doesn’t change who I am in Him.  Job once again addresses their assumptions and wrongful assertions. And basically starts by saying, “Look here! I’m going to set you straight and when I’m done, you can just continue on with your jeering and teasing”. It might have been Job’s tone here that set Eliphaz off one last time.  Whew, was he mad! Job’s words were an exclamation point on Eliphaz’s pride and anger. How dare this lowly, suffering, leftovers-of-a-man speak with any authority to such wise and knowledgeable and inspired friends (you can go back and read that with the heavily poured-on sarcasm in which I wrote it before moving on)?  And so the condemnation from Job’s friends continued, just as Job thought it would. I do want to stop a moment to make a point. Some of the wisest people I know might be considered lowly by most. Status and education and wealth and health have nothing to do with wisdom. Job answers back, but this time he doesn’t seem to be addressing his friends.  He calls out about the condition he’s in. He’s troubled and terrified. He misses God’s closeness and longs for His presence.  

Notes from the Bible Recap Job 21-23:

We like to think that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people.  We also like to think that good works bring happiness. We like to think we get what we deserve. There’s error in those thoughts.  We need to also be careful not to use God to get what we want. As you go through life, you’ll realize more and more how unfair it can be.  You’ll see horrible people living in prosperity. You’ll come across awful people who are beautiful and wealthy and healthy and seem to have it all.  And you’ll see really good people who live in a constant state of hardship. I’ll put it this way, when a toddler is given everything they want, whenever they want, they normally aren’t happy.  They always want more. They throw tantrums when they don’t get every little thing their heart desires. But nothing seems to satisfy and little is appreciated. But the toddler who is taught and cared for with discipline and patience is typically a much happier toddler.  They find real joy, rather than happiness that is only associated with selfish desires. They learn to appreciate the small things. Our perception of what’s good and rich and prosperous can be skewed by society. Watch out, don’t be tricked! Real joy is found in God, regardless of our circumstances.

Job yields to God, even though he’s terrified and completely troubled.  We can learn something here. Yield to God. Always!