Learn from Job to Worship God in Your Suffering (Part 2)
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Now there are two things that are absolutely true of me and also true of every one of you who is reading this message.
The first thing is that each one of you is either suffering now or will experience suffering in future. Life is a life of suffering in this fallen world. The second thing that is true of all of you is that you either know right now someone who is suffering, or you will definitely come across someone who is suffering later. These two truths therefore clearly affirm that the book of Job applies to each one of you personally and indicate that we all need the book of Job and the instruction and exhortation therein that God has given to us by his Spirit.
The book of Job is a great piece of Literature. It is both magnificent in structure and magnificent in style. It is also a timeless book because it deals with two important questions that many people of God have been asking themselves throughout human history saying, "Why is it that the wicked often escape suffering? and Why is it that the righteous suffer?"
A critical analysis of the book of Job reveals to us that this book has a deeper theme that goes far beyond the two puzzling questions mentioned above. This theme has to do with this inquiry: "Is God so great and so good that he is worthy of your worship and your trust and your delight no matter what God chooses to do, no matter what suffering comes to you? Is God worthy of your worship when calamity comes, when great misfortune comes or when great disaster and grievous afflictions strike? Is God's grace powerful enough to create in you a heart that will delight in him and treasure him above all of life's pleasures and treasures?"
And the answer of Job chapter 1 and the answer of the whole book of Job in response to this inquiry is, "Yes". It is a resounding "Yes".
We are repeatedly given throughout the book of Job a strong affirmation that God is worthy of your worship regardless of what calamity comes to you. We are also clearly taught in this book of Job that God's grace is great enough to create in a human heart both the love for God for God's own sake and the love for treasuring God above all earthly pleasures. And so Job chapter one is about calamity number one and test number one and victory number one.
Page 1 ⇦ Previous | Next ⇨ Page 3
Now there are two things that are absolutely true of me and also true of every one of you who is reading this message.
The first thing is that each one of you is either suffering now or will experience suffering in future. Life is a life of suffering in this fallen world. The second thing that is true of all of you is that you either know right now someone who is suffering, or you will definitely come across someone who is suffering later. These two truths therefore clearly affirm that the book of Job applies to each one of you personally and indicate that we all need the book of Job and the instruction and exhortation therein that God has given to us by his Spirit.
The book of Job is a great piece of Literature. It is both magnificent in structure and magnificent in style. It is also a timeless book because it deals with two important questions that many people of God have been asking themselves throughout human history saying, "Why is it that the wicked often escape suffering? and Why is it that the righteous suffer?"
A critical analysis of the book of Job reveals to us that this book has a deeper theme that goes far beyond the two puzzling questions mentioned above. This theme has to do with this inquiry: "Is God so great and so good that he is worthy of your worship and your trust and your delight no matter what God chooses to do, no matter what suffering comes to you? Is God worthy of your worship when calamity comes, when great misfortune comes or when great disaster and grievous afflictions strike? Is God's grace powerful enough to create in you a heart that will delight in him and treasure him above all of life's pleasures and treasures?"
And the answer of Job chapter 1 and the answer of the whole book of Job in response to this inquiry is, "Yes". It is a resounding "Yes".
We are repeatedly given throughout the book of Job a strong affirmation that God is worthy of your worship regardless of what calamity comes to you. We are also clearly taught in this book of Job that God's grace is great enough to create in a human heart both the love for God for God's own sake and the love for treasuring God above all earthly pleasures. And so Job chapter one is about calamity number one and test number one and victory number one.
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