September 28, 2015
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Tunnel Vision

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Opening Prayer

God, Your wisdom is so deep, Your power is so immense. I pray that weakness will display Your strength.

Read Job 9:1-35

[1] Then Job replied: [2] “Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God? [3] Though they wished to dispute with him, they could not answer him one time out of a thousand. [4] His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed? [5] He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger. [6] He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble. [7] He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars. [8] He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. [9] He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. [10] He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. [11] When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by, I cannot perceive him. [12] If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ [13] God does not restrain his anger; even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet. [14] “How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him? [15] Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy. [16] Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing. [17] He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason. [18] He would not let me catch my breath but would overwhelm me with misery. [19] If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him? [20] Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty. [21] “Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life. [22] It is all the same; that is why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’ [23] When a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks the despair of the innocent. [24] When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges. If it is not he, then who is it? [25] “My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy. [26] They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey. [27] If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,’ [28] I still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent. [29] Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain? [30] Even if I washed myself with soap and my hands with cleansing powder, [31] you would plunge me into a slime pit so that even my clothes would detest me. [32] “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. [33] If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, [34] someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. [35] Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

“Even in the midst of suffering there is a God who is with us and for us, and will never let us go” (Frederick Buechner). It is important to remember this truth.

The experience of being in a dark tunnel with no sign of any light at the end is common to many of us–and very distressing. I spent several years in Peru during the 1980s, a time when Shining Path terrorists were creating dark tunnels for many; this, on top of a history of poverty and oppression. Peruvian theologian Gustavo Gutierrez, writing from his experience of the suffering of the innocent, points out that the theme of Job “is not precisely suffering … but rather how to speak of God in the midst of suffering.”

Job has poured out his heart to God (Job 7), and a second friend, Bildad, brutally describes his prayer as mere wind (8:2). Bildad’s main emphasis is that God is just (8:1-7); he defends this by reference to tradition (8:8-10) and nature (8:11-19). His view is somewhat blinkered; he allows for no exceptions to the rule that the righteous are blessed and the wicked are punished. Today’s reading is Job’s response: “Yes, but…” That may be true (2), but believing in his own innocence (21) how can he contend with the One who created the universe (2-9) and who is all-powerful and so much stronger (10-12)? There seems no way out; whatever Job says, whatever approach he makes to God, he will be the loser. A dark tunnel indeed!

What can we say about God when so much seems dark and hopeless? Can we keep quiet rather than uttering inappropriate glib words? Does our corporate worship include lament, or do we stick safely to jubilant praise, thus alienating people caught up in despair? Can we be honest and admit that sometimes we have a problem regarding how to speak of God? Could we perhaps encourage our songwriters to probe the painful realities as well as the joyful ones?

Apply

Try writing a lament yourself, for use in corporate worship.

Closing prayer

Loving Father, I am reminded that You are God and I am not. I am encouraged to know that You take my despair and turn it into joy.

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