Reflections on The Book of Job 2:10 — Job’s Predicament is Ironically Hopeful

“But (Job) said to (his wife), ‘You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” — Job 2:10 (RSV)

Spoiler alert! I’ve read through The Book of Job several times before, so I hope you will please pardon me for this little preview: Job ends up straying from all this hopeful stoicism in response to his suffering.

We are in only Day 2 of Satan’s attacks on Job. He lost his family and wealth in Chapter 1, and now he has lost his health.  The verse above shows he’s fine, so far;  his awesome faith still as strong as ever. But, I assure you, he’s going to crack eventually. And this cracking — something that he has in common with every man before and since — is what this great book is all about.

(Note: I have seen some commentaries suggesting “with his lips” above indicates Job is straining, even now, to quell his animosity toward God. (In otherwords, that Job is daring to not utter, with his lips, the sin that is on his heart.)  I doubt it matters much, but I don’t happen to subscribe to that view. Rather, I see those words as this wise commentary does, as a foreshadowing to the anger that’s coming soon. Having suffered a variety of losses myself over the years, I am empathetic to Job’s optimistic outlook, so far. Like Job, I seem predisposed to the rosy view, at least from the start, in such such cases. In fact, I’d say it might be a part of all our human nature to give God the benefit of the doubt, for a short time, after our life’s pains. It’s only as those pains last longer and longer and grow stronger and stronger that I (we) lose patience with God. Job’s reaction is rather realistic in its naivety, I say.)

As I reflected on these early stages of Job’s predicament last night, God blessed me with the best few hours of rest I’ve had in a while. Ironic, I know.  This whole book is nothing, if not ironic. That’s God’s awesome beauty at work. He turns everything back to His Goodness. Always!

I drifted off to sleep last night meditating on God’s main lesson with this book: His Peace is always with me (indeed, a part of me) even when all seems lost, when Hell itself seems to have me cornered.

Seems is the key word (twice) in that last sentence. Silly me. When I remember God at my heart, almost nothing is as it seems.

This Job-inspired reflection was a fine way to end my typical day of fretting and worrying. Here’s just one of the more ridiculous matters I stewed over yesterday in my more quiet moments:

Right now it’s popular — at the behest of the President of the United States, no less– to think of reporters in the United States as, generally, “enemies of the people.” Well, I am a reporter. (Sort of, anyway. I have been a reporter, at least. And probably will be again.) And I have several reporter friends who have suffered some abuse and harassment over this popular characterization of their profession. Accordingly, I’ve written publicly in support of reporters, myself, and those postings have been mostly criticized and belittled (both publicly and privately) by the few who have read them.  So, I wondered yesterday, is it just a matter of time before I am generally assumed to be an “enemy” of my country? Did my previous postings play a role in my former school’s decision to not invite me back to teach this year? Are folks whispering and plotting against me?  Will my family and friends soon abandon me?  Will I be shunned at my church? Might I even end up in jail one day?

Given the insanity that is The World, it’s unwise to pull myself from such thoughts by simply telling myself those questions are unrealistic, as I am tempted to do. (Would Job have ever “realistically” guessed that all of his family, money, and health would vanish in just two days? Of course not!)

Rather, Job teaches me,  I must acknowledge that Satan can indeed bring all these fears to fruition, as outlandish as they may seem.

But, those matters are not of God, and God is all that matters.

My (our) God is peace. My (our) God is love. And, even when surrounded by the uncertainty and insanity that are the devilish characteristics of our world, I will eternally prevail — victoriously! — through Him (so long as stay focused on Him).

That is a restful thought, indeed. As I say, last night’s great rest was a grand blessing, indeed.

Lord, thank you for, well, everything!  May Your Will forever reign!

Note: This is Post #2 in my “study” of Job. During this study, I intend to focus on a new chapter of the book each day, finding a single verse by which I hear God speaking to me, directly, about my life, and posting my (hopefully always humble) response. I pray that these posts will bring enlightenment and encouragement to you, dear reader, and I invite you to comment your own thoughts below. Building a new community of believers through this study — all of us supporting and encouraging one another, even from afar — would be a glorious thing, indeed, I believe!  Generally speaking, I plan to “go live” with these posts by noon (Central Time) each day, but I ask you to forgive my occasional deviations from that schedule (most of which I plan to announce in advance). Accordingly, I plan for my post for Chapter 3 to appear (God willing) at about noon on Tuesday, August 21. Because some of my “ministry” work has required a great deal of attention of late, I have fallen behind on the work by which I earn my livelihood, and I simply need to get caught up on that. God willing, I will post on much closer to a true “daily” schedule beginning next week.