10 But he said unto her, You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this did not Job sin with his lips. (Job 2:10, New American Standard Bible)
Job said atop a pile of ashes, scraping the boils with a broken pottery shard. In our main reading today (Job 1:1; 2:1-10) God and Satan test the faith of Job, a devout man. The Satan of Job is not the Satan most of us think of. Also known as "ha-Satan" he is the accuser, the bringer to trial, who only worked at the behest of God. For the better part of its 42 chapters, Job encounters misfortunes, the responses of well-meaning but misguided friends, and questions God.
Today's sermon asked "Why are we christian?" Are we only the christian who thanks God for answered prayers of goodness. For the receiving only the rich fluffy buttery muffin, for smart children, and for that rare, front row parking space? The story of Job warns us against believing only in a God that rewards our belief with prosperity and success.
Job's God is the all knowing, powerful God who loves us in adversity as well as good times, and asks us to trust God. It may not look like it from our vantage point, when we may well be sitting on our last nerve ending, or a pile of ashes, but all will be well, in God's time.
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