Suffering of Job

 9:30 AM SUFFERING OF JOB June 20, 2021 Christ Church, Exeter Today's Old Testament lesson is based on a question that's as old as time. Will Job, a man who is upright and blameless in the eyes of the Lord, still be faithful if all his blessings are taken away? In other words, is he just a "fair weather friend" to God? And so the test unfolds - chapter by chapter. Job's children die in senseless accidents. He loses his sheep, his oxen, his home. Everything! And yet his faith survives. "The Lord has given," he says. "And the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." But that's not the end of the story. Suddenly he's afflicted with a horrible disease, like a massive case of poison ivy. From head to toe. And Job can't take any more. Shaking his fist at heaven (demonstrate), he hurls out a challenge to God. "Why are you letting this happen? I thought you were a God who cares! I wouldn't't have the nerve to say something like that to God, would you? But is there anyone here who hasn't felt something of Job's anger and frustration? Because someone in your family or community suffered a tragedy even though - like Job- they were good and faithful. It raises a cry of protest. "Not fair! Recently I had a child come into my office after losing her cousin. He was her best friend and she missed him dearly. She talked of how she still goes down to the river, their favorite place to be together and asked me, "do you think he hears me when I speak to him?" Of course, he does, I told her. Then she looked at me and asked, why did God take my best friend? It hurts so much, and it doesn't feel right. In Job the protest goes on and on until finally God speaks. "Who is this that darkens my counsel by words without knowledge? Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Where were you when I determined the measurements, stretched the line upon it and summoned the morning stars to sing together? Where were you when I put cliffs beside the sea and said to the waters, 'Thus far shall you go and no further. Here will your proud waves cease.'" Job does not answer. He is speechless. Because suddenly he realizes that he is not God. He is human and God set limits for humans just the way he set limits for the waves in the sea. I read a story the other day - when I was trying to figure out what to say in this sermon. The story was about a flea riding on the back of a lion. The flea cries out against the lion saying, "Let the lion speak to me - and explain why this ride is so bumpy and it's so hot." Until one day the lion gets weary of the needling on his back and turns his head around and ROARS at the flea. And that is enough of an answer for the flea. He suddenly realizes that he is not a lion. He's a flea. Just the way Job suddenly realizes he is not God. He is a human being. It's a terribly humbling reality. But they say real soul making doesn't begin until we can accept those limitations. Limitations that often strengthen our faith. But God never answers Job's question. Why do the innocent suffer? Why the fatal illness? The crippling accident? Early onset of dementia? Why have so many innocent people died in the Pandemic. Why does a young girl's cousin die? We do not know. Only God knows and we are not God. But I think the most important thing for us to understand in the story is that when the good and faithful people suffer, it isn't some sort of punishment on God's part. And the worst thing that can happen isn't not knowing the REASON the innocent suffers but to suffer without God! How can people suffer without knowing that God loves them and is suffering with them? How can they suffer without knowing that here at Christ Church we are holding them in our prayers and keeping them in communion with God? For sure, we do not suffer without God. The One who was there in the beginning and determined the measurements of the earth, the One who chose to come down from heaven in the person of Christ Jesus, our Lord. To become human. Just like us. And chose to suffer the pain of the cross in order to share our pain - and make it a little easier to bear. The innocent of all innocents suffers - for you and me. That's the center of our faith, isn't it? It's what brings us here to worship. And why our voices join together in today's psalm, "O give thanks to the Lord for his is good, and his steadfast love endures forever." And even though our questions may never be answered this side of eternity, we do know as Job said at the end of the story, that our redeemer liveth and that he will stand at the latter day upon this earth and our eyes shall behold him and not as a stranger. (Job 19:25) 1