This week doesn’t take much explanation in our falling series. It’s the current state of much of humanity. It refers to half of all marriages. It could be said of a vast majority of toys in our house. And it’s also the description of the best ribs!
Falling Apart.
It might be an honest evaluation of something in your life.
It also is the content of one of the Bible’s most famous characters, Job (pronounced JOBE).
I don’t want to belabor the details of Job’s suffering but need to reinforce them a little. Here’s the short version: He was a very wealthy individual, a quality family man, and a devout follower of God. He was considered the greatest man in among all the people of the east. And in ONE day, he lost EVERYTHING – seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys,and a large number of servants, plus ALL 10 children!
Can you imagine!!??
Then, he came down with a terrible skin disease with painful sores head to toe! It was so bad, he scraped them with broken clay pots for relief. His wife was hurting terribly in all this and basically disowned him! Ouch.
He continues to trust and honor God despite everything that has happened.
Then 3 friends who care about him deeply, wrap him in support. For a whole week they just sit with him in his suffering, not saying a word. (Sometimes, solidarity is best done in silence.) Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar finally decide to speak trying to find some rationale in their own mind and bring clarity to this chaos for their friend.
In an attempt to console, they speak ignorantly and do more damage. They blame Job’s sin or evil acts (neither accurate) and have ticked off God. They try to bring some encouragement saying ‘it could always be way worse’ (NOT helpful). Finally, they deflect Job’s responsibility and say his kids’ destruction was all on the kids.
Aren’t friends great!?
How about this season from HELL filled with unimaginable tragedy and loss, deepest emotional wounds, followed by unbearable physical pain, and the only closest living loved ones speak hurtful and unhelpful words.
Can you wrap your head around this?
Have you experienced similar days, moments, heartache, suffering?
Maybe you’re living in the midst of it or maybe you know someone who is.
Check this out:
Job’s name in Hebrew literally means ‘object of enmity’, or hated! Ever feel/felt that way? Has life made you or someone you love come to believe the worst about yourself, themselves, or God?
In spite of Job’s state in life and depth of suffering, he was able to find the strength to endure and a perspective to push him through without spiraling into a self-destructive life. I’m convinced we can too.
But there’s more. Watch this: Eliphaz – which means my god is gold; Bildad – which means confusing love; and Zophar – which means sparrow.
Here’s what I take. The voices of the world seem to be what we need or want (his friends). This isn’t a knock on good friends or family – in fact we need them. But all the earthly influence of health, success, wealth, status, possessions, power, and prestige, is really just worthless idols (gold), perplexing and misleading (confusing love), and small and insignificant (sparrows).
Do not listen to them!
If you’re not in this state like Job currently, tuck this away and save it for when you are OR share it with someone who is.
If you are, I implore you to hold on, stay put, shut out the voices of the world, and look to the God who sees you and will redeem you. God redeemed Job and made him wealthier than ever before and restored more family even bigger. No, it doesn’t bring back the dead, but can work everything together for our good, if we love and trust Him. (Romans 8:28)
Let me know if there is some way we can partner with you in your struggle.
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