Who Do You Say? Reading With the People of God #19নমুনা

When You Hit Rock Bottom

Job has hit rock bottom, through no fault of his own. Was he perfect? No! He was human, but he was described in Job 1:1b as “blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.” (NIV) Job 30 is a difficult passage to read because before God allowed Job to be afflicted by Satan, he is living a life filled with prosperity, family, health, and a position of high esteem in his community. This resonates with us as justice, that Job is blessed by God because of his uprightness; But then, it all falls apart. In Job 30, we are audience to his lament. Job has lost family, wealth, health, and elite standing, and he is understandably discouraged and feels attacked and ignored by God. We too struggle to understand why terrible tragedy falls on good people and become frustrated with a God who doesn’t play by our man-made rules. Alongside Job, we cry out to God, wanting Him to explain to us why He has allowed suffering in our life or in the life of a loved one; and sometimes, as with Job, it seems He is silent. Thanks be to God that He knows the end from the beginning and because of His word, so do we! Has Job fallen from grace or is he perfectly poised to receive the greatest grace of all, complete reliance on the God from whom all blessings flow, by His hand, and for His glory? God is the only one who can restore him; Job can’t help himself. This is the state of humankind. We cannot save ourselves.

During this Advent season, we celebrate the birth ofJesus, God becoming man and walking among us and ultimately, saving us. “ The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel-which means ‘God with us’”(Matthew 1:23 NIV). Jesus experienced all of the sufferings that we experience and that Job experienced, even to the point of being tempted and attacked by Satan, and ultimately enduring a gruesome, excruciating, wholly undeserved death on the cross so that we (undeserving) may be restored! Even better, Jesus promises “And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b) NIV) In his song, “Breakdown”, Andrew Ripp sings, “Rock bottom is a firm foundation”. When that firm foundation is Christ, our eyes are turned heavenward and we can look forward in joyful anticipation to that day when there will be no more lament, no more wondering, no more sorrow or suffering! Oh, what a glorious day that will be!!

Primer contributed by Gina Bylsma