City Life Starter

I. The Word: Job 40:1-5

40 Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said:

² “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?  He who rebukes God, let him answer it.”

³ Then Job answered the Lord and said:

Have you ever been falsely accused or deemed as a liar when you did not lie?  It is devastating when you experience it personally or it happens to those whom you love.  It is even worse when you are falsely accused by the one you considered a friend and trusted.  When you experience these kinds of events personally, you start wondering why things like that happen?  There are many who have turned to God for an answer and even those who are mature in faith would find themselves questioning God.  Atheists would question God’s character by asking, if God is good, why would He let evil happen to good people?  Personally, I believe it is a great question for all believers to ask, but the answer must be within the boundary that God has given us, in His Word.  When we attempt to answer this question with a humanistic point of view, we will most likely conclude that God is not good after all.  

Today’s reading focuses on an interaction between God and Job. Job has been asking and pleading reason behind the suffering, and God answers.  It is important to note how this interaction can teach us so much about Job and how we must respond as believers.  After the questioning and complaining of Job, God responds to Job.  It is quite interesting to me that when God responds to Job, Job doesn’t continue but rather chooses to keep his mouth shut.  I believe Job was quite surprised when God responded to him.  It is with great reverence and awe that he chose to listen rather than speak, understanding it is God who is speaking.  This shows Job’s character and faith in God as God has approved of him.  Once Job understood to whom he is speaking, Job humbles and submits himself and waits for God to speak.

Jesus was falsely accused and judged for something He did not do nor deserve.  But we don’t see Him defending Himself or having anyone fight for the injustice being done to an innocent man.  His mouth was sealed, for He trusted in the will of God to be far greater than the suffering He faced.  So much so, He prayed to the Father at the Garden of Gethsemane, “Not My will but Your will be done.”  We find our Savior modeling how to persevere and embrace when we face injustice, to trust in God and His perfect will.  

There will always be injustice in this world, whether persecuted Christians being killed for their faith, victims of human trafficking, even those who are falsely accused and wrongfully persecuted.  As Christians, by all means we should seek justice and fight for those who cannot defend for themselves.  At the same time, let us always gaze upon the cross, where our Savior died 2,000 years ago, an innocent man without any fault was falsely accused and endured the cross for our sakes.  It is within this truth, we pursue justice, also trusting in God for His will to be done.  This should lead us to confidently pray:

“Your kingdom come,

Your will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10

JY