Well, I had intended to speak this morning on the subject of government and how we as
Christians should relate to the government, but with the tragic events of last Sunday,
I felt drawn to a different book of the Bible for this Sunday's message.
I'd like to share with you this morning the story of a man named Job.
In the land of Uz, there lived a man whose name was Job.
This man was blameless and upright.
He feared God and shunned evil.
He had seven sons and three daughters.
And he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 donkeys, and had a large number of servants.
He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified.
Early in the morning, he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking,
Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.
This was Job's regular custom.
One day, the angels came to present themselves before the Lord,
and Satan also came with them.
The Lord said to Satan,
Where have you come from?
Satan answered the Lord,
From roaming throughout the earth,
going back and forth on it.
Then the Lord said to Satan,
Have you considered my servant Job?
There is no one on earth like him.
He is blameless and upright,
a man who fears God and shuns evil.
Does Job fear God for nothing?
Satan replied.
Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has?
You have blessed the work of his hands,
so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.
But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has,
and he will surely curse you to your face.
The Lord said to Satan,
Very well then.
Everything he has is in your power.
But on the man himself do not lay a finger.
Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting
and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house,
a messenger came to Job and said,
The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby,
and the Sabaeans attacked and made off with them.
They put the servants to the sword,
and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you.
While he was still speaking,
another messenger came and said,
The fire of God fell from the heavens
and burned up the sheep and the servants,
and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you.
While he was still speaking,
another messenger came and said,
The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties
and swept down on your camels and made off with them.
They put the servants to the sword,
and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you.
While he was still speaking,
yet another messenger came and said,
Your sons and daughters were feasting
and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house,
when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert
and struck the four corners of the house.
It collapsed on them,
and they are dead.
I am the only one who has escaped to tell you.
At this, Job got up and tore his robe
and shaved his head.
Then he fell to the ground in worship
and said,
Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave,
and the Lord has taken away.
May the name of the Lord be praised.
In all this,
Job did not sin
by charging God
with wrongdoing.
The story of Job is a difficult one.
Job was a very prosperous and successful man.
He was a man of character,
a man of integrity.
According to God himself,
Job was upright
and blameless.
Meaning not that he was perfect,
but that on the whole,
he was a good and honorable man
who sought to do right,
who treated others well,
who avoided wrongdoing.
He had a deep reverence for God.
He was such a good man
that he even offered sacrifices
for his ten adult children,
just in case they had sinned
in their feasts and parties,
which means he loved his children dearly.
And as Job was living his life,
and all was going well,
something happened in the heavenly realms
that he knew nothing about.
God had a meeting
with some of the angels who had fallen.
And the chief leader of those angels,
Satan,
the devil,
was among them.
It was God who brought Job up
in the conversation.
And we wonder,
why?
Satan taunted God.
He basically said,
Job only fears you.
He only respects you.
He only honors you.
He only loves you
because of how you've blessed him
and prospered him.
You've made him wildly successful.
Of course he reveres you.
But take all of that stuff away
and he will curse you to your face.
Now at this point in the story,
we really wish,
for Job's sake,
that God had simply said,
that's enough, Satan.
I don't need to prove anything to you.
Get out of here.
Yet,
for his own reasons,
God decides to grant
what Satan suggested.
And he gives Satan authority
to take all of it
away from Job.
This is perhaps
one of the hardest things
to stomach
in this whole story.
And again,
we wonder,
why?
Why God?
Why would you do this?
Why would you grant him
power to afflict
this blameless
and upright man?
Even to take the lives
of his children?
Are we not tempted
in reading this
to accuse God
of wrongdoing?
Are we not tempted
here
to condemn God
for allowing
a blameless
and upright man
to suffer?
Are we not tempted
to judge
the motives
of God here
and suspect
him of
bringing this
horrible tragedy
upon Job's family
just to win
a worthless bet?
Well, Satan
would have loved
Job to come
to this conclusion
about God.
That's what this
was all about.
For Job,
the crushing blow
is dealt
when the final messenger
comes in
and tells him
that all ten
of his adult children
are dead,
killed,
all at once
in a freak
accident windstorm.
Upon hearing this,
Job
tears his robe
and shaves his head.
These are cultural
acts of mourning.
It's a visceral response
which reflects
what's going on
in his heart.
His heart
is torn
and he's been
utterly
humiliated,
brought low
and yet,
surprisingly,
after doing
these things,
it says
he fell
to the ground
in worship.
Now remember,
Job doesn't know
anything about
the exchange
between God
and Satan
in the heavenly realm.
all he knows
is the freshness
of his grief
and loss.
And is God
still worthy
of worship?
Is he still
worthy of praise?
Job's answer
is yes.
he says,
naked
I came
from my mother's
womb
and naked
I will depart.
The Lord
gave
and the Lord
has taken away.
May the name
of the Lord
be praised.
is God
still good
when calamity
strikes?
Is he still
just
in all he does?
Is he still
right
in what he
decides,
permits,
allows
and grants?
Job's answer
through the tears
was yes.
I came
into this world
and started
this life
of mine
with nothing.
Naked
not even
the clothes
on my back
which means
that all
I was given
by God
for every day
that I've had
up until now
was a gift
from him.
I can't
take the credit
for any of it.
I can't
claim it
as my right
or my due.
And by God's
sovereign decision
he has taken
it all away.
He's reduced
me again
to how I
started out
in this life.
May the name
of the Lord
be praised.
Is Job
grieved?
Yes.
Is he in
anguish?
Yes.
does he see
God
is ultimately
responsible
for having
permitted this
to happen?
Yes.
Does he
blame God
for doing
wrong
by all
this?
Amazingly
no.
in all
this
it says
Job
did not
sin
by
charging
God
with
wrongdoing.
Job
knew
that it
was in
God's
power
to prevent
this.
He knew
his life
had gone
so well
till now
because of
God's
blessing
and favor.
But now
had God
wronged him
by taking
the hedge
of protection
away.
By allowing
the devil
to do
his worst.
No.
If this
wasn't
difficult
enough
already
for Job
the same
thing
repeats
itself
in chapter
two.
Yet
this time
the devil
is permitted
to afflict
Job's
health
and his
body.
And God
allows this
too.
By the
end of
chapter
two
Job
is not
only
bereaved
of his
children
but he
is in
physical
pain
from head
to toe.
And to
make matters
worse
his own
wife
turns on
him
in the
midst
of all
this.
She
tells him
to just
give it
up already.
Curse
God
and die.
God
can't be
good.
He
can't
love
you
Job.
Look
at what
he's
brought.
Look
at what
he's
allowed
to
happen
to
you
after
all
you've
done
for
him.
Curse
him.
He's
not
worthy
of our
worship
anymore.
And
again
amazingly
Job
responds
with
this.
You're
talking
like a
foolish
woman.
Shall
we
accept
good
from
God
and
not
trouble.
Aren't
we
tempted
in
moments
of
great
loss
like
this
to
blame
God
and
to
accuse
him
of
wrongdoing
even
to
speak
evil
of
him.
And
yet
it
says
in
all
this
Job
did
not
sin
in
what
he
said.
The
chapter
ends
with
three
of
Job's
friends
coming
to
see
him.
And
they
come
to
show
their
sympathy
and
their
comfort
to
Job.
First
they
weep
with
him.
They
too
tear
their
clothes
and
sprinkle
dust
on
their
heads
sharing
in
Job's
brokenness
and
self
humiliation.
And
for
seven
days
it
says
that
his
friends
just
sat
there
in
silence
with
him.
They
didn't
even
try
to
say
a
word
to
him
because
they
saw
how
great
his
suffering
was.
And
I
think
in
this
they
were
wise.
They
were
good
friends
to
Job.
Sometimes
there
are
no
words.
Loss
is
loss.
Grief
is
grief.
There
is
a
time
to
mourn.
And
we
do
right
in
these
times
to
mourn
with
those
who
mourn.
It's
okay
to
be
sad.
It's
okay
to
be
upset.
It's
okay
to
feel
pain,
anguish,
even
regret.
there
is
a
time
to
mourn.
It's
not
a
time
to
try
and
fix
what's
broken
or
to
help
people
find
joy.
It's
not
a
time
to
point
out
that
the
glass
is
somehow
still
half
full
or
that
there's
a
silver
lining
to
this
tragedy.
finally
after a
week
of
silence
Job
opens
his
mouth
and
this
is
what
he
says
in
chapter
three
after
this
Job
opened
his
mouth
and
cursed
the
day
of
his
birth
he
said
may
the
day
of
my
birth
perish
and
the
night
that
said
a
boy
is
conceived
that
day
may
it
turn
to
darkness
may
God
above
not
care
about
it
may
no
light
shine
on
it
may
those
who
curse
days
curse
that
day
may
its
morning
stars
become
dark
may
it
wait
for
daylight
in
vain
and
not
see
the
first
rays
of
dawn
for
it
did
not
shut
the
doors
of
the
womb
on
me
to
hide
trouble
from
my
eyes
why
did
I
not
perish
at
birth
and
die
as
I
came
from
the
womb
why
is
life
given
to
a
man
whose
way
is
hidden
whom
God
has
hedged
in
for
sighing
has
become
my
daily
food
my
groans
pour
out
like
water
what
I
feared
has
come
upon
me
what
I
dreaded
has
happened
to
me
I
have
no
peace
no
quietness
I
have
no
rest
but
only
turmoil
it's
here we
get a
glimpse
of
just
how
deep
Job's
anguish
was
over
the
loss
of
his
children
these
are
some
of
the
deepest
words
of
anguish
in
the
Bible
did
he
blame
God
for
wrongdoing
well
not
here
but
was
the
pain
and
anguish
so
unbearable
that
he
wished
he
wasn't
alive
yes
in
fact
he
expresses
a
wish
that
he
had
never
been
born
when
deep
tragedy
strikes
and
our
hearts
are
utterly
torn
apart
it
is
normal
to
desire
escape
from
the
pain
of
great
tragedy
Job
did
it's
normal
not
to
have
peace
to
not
be
able
to
rest
this
is
the
story
of
Job
unfortunately
Job's
friends
decide
after
the
seven
days
are
up
to
open
their
mouths
and
correct
Job
for
feeling
like
this
they
try
to
make
sense
of
this
for
him
they
try
to
get
to
the
bottom
of
it
they
try
to
help
him
figure
out
what's
happening
to
him
with
their
wisdom
and
understanding
first
Eliphaz
speaks
and
Job
responds
to
him
and
Job
answers
back
to
him
and
this
cycle
repeats
itself
almost
two
full
times
throughout
the
book
of
Job
with
the
friends
each
speaking
and
Job
responding
to
them
eventually
Job
kind of
just
says
what
he's
thinking
and
feeling
this
kind of
sums
up
his
feeling
towards
his
friends
Job
replied
I have
heard
many
things
like
these
you
are
miserable
comforters
all
of
you
will
your
long
winded
speeches
never
end
what
ails
you
that
you
keep
on
arguing
it
ends
up
that
Job's
friends
did
far
more
harm
than
good
they
got
so
focused
on
trying
to
fix
his
perspective
they
tried
to
tell
Job
the
possible
answers
to
the
big
question
of
why
God
allowed
or
brought
all
this
in
his
life
the
three
friends
think
themselves
wise
and
imagine
themselves
to be
helping
Job
it
starts
with
these
very
subtle
questions
and
it
progresses
to
a
full
blown
declaration
Job
you
must
have
done
something
wrong
otherwise
God
wouldn't
have
let
all
this
happen
to
you
the
stuff
that's
happened
to
you
Job
that's
the
way
that
God
deals
with
the
wicked
they
said
and so
you
must
be
among
them
God
would
never
allow
all
this
to
happen
to
an
upright
and
blameless
man
who
fears
him
he'd
be
unjust
if
he
did
therefore
the
fault
must
lie
with
you
Job
if
Job
hadn't
already
suffered
enough
his
friends
just
made
it
worse
they
added
to
the
anguish
they
turned
on
him
as
the
conversation
goes on
between
Job
and his
friends
eventually
Job
loses
his
innocence
at
several
points
Job
charges
God
with
wrongdoing
he
accuses
God
of not
handling
his
case
justly
and I
know
some
people
debate
this
whether
or not
he
fully
did
the
truth
is
we're
so
eager
to
see
Job
as
the
good
guy
who
never
sins
and
yet
in
his
anguish
he
did
and
much
of
the
story
comes
to
hinge
on
this
Job's
friends
tell him
plead
your
case
with
God
he
will
hear
you
he
will
answer
you
if
you're
innocent
and
Job
basically
says
well
I'm
trying
I'm
calling
out
to
him
and
yet
he
doesn't
answer
me
if
I
had
the
opportunity
to
make
my
appeal
to
him
I
know
that
he
would
rule
in
my
favor
and
Job
lays
the
blame
on
God
for
not
granting
him
this
opportunity
for
mishandling
his
own
case
the
clearest
statement
from
Job's
own
lips
charging
God
with
wrongdoing
comes
here
19
verse
5
and
6
he
says
to
his
friends
if
indeed
you
would
exalt
yourselves
above
me
and
use
my
humiliation
against
me
then
know
that
God
has
wronged
me
and
drawn
his
net
around
me
and
as
we'll
see
later
God
himself
comes
to
accuse
Job
of
discrediting
his
justice
after
quite a lot
of back
and forth
Job's
three
friends
finally
decide
to
give
up
they
think
Job
must
be
guilty
of
some
secret
great
sin
to
deserve
all that's
happened
to him
and they
think that
Job is
self-righteous
and unwilling
to hear
correction
in chapter
32
a young
man
named
Elihu
has
been
sitting
and listening
to some
of this
and he
pipes up
and he's
upset
for two
reasons
he's
upset
with Job
because
according
to Elihu
Job
has
accused
God
of
wrongdoing
but he's
also upset
with the
three
friends
because
it seems
like
they're
condemning
Job
for the
wrong
reason
Elihu's
speech
to Job
could be
summed
up
with
these
words
in
chapter
34
he says
listen
to me
you men
of
understanding
far
be it
from
God
to
do
evil
from
the
almighty
to
do
wrong
it's
unthinkable
that God
would do
wrong
that the
almighty
would
pervert
justice
the
almighty
is
beyond
our
reach
and
exalted
in
power
in
his
justice
and
great
righteousness
he
does
not
oppress
therefore
people
revere
him
for
does
he
not
have
regard
for
all
the
wise
in
heart
now
Elihu
may
not
have
been
a
perfect
counselor
but
he
does
remind
Job
of
at
least
one
thing
that's
true
God
is
good
God
is
just
God
is
righteous
God
never
does
wrong
and
it
may
seem
impossible
to
understand
that
in
a
situation
like
Job
is
going
through
right
now
or
in
a
situation
like
has
happened
in
our
town
with
the
Klaassen
family
but
far
be it
from
the
almighty
to
do
wrong
it's
unthinkable
that
he
would
pervert
justice
that
he
would
oppress
we
may
not
understand
God's
ways
or
reasons
but
we
cannot
condemn
him
at
this
point
in
the
story
of
Job
God
himself
finally
shows
up
it
was
much
later
and
longer
than
Job
had
hoped
for
but
he
finally
shows
up
we
read
in
chapter
38
verse
1
that
Yahweh
the
Lord
speaks
to
Job
out
of
a
storm
and
I'm
just
going
to
read
a
good
chunk
of
this
here
the
Lord
says
to
Job
who
is
this
that
obscures
my
plans
with
words
brace
yourself
like
a
man
I
will
question
you
and
you
shall
answer
me
where
were
you
when
I
laid
the
earth's
foundation
tell
me
if
you
understand
who
marked
off
its
dimensions
surely
you
know
who
stretched
a
measuring
line
across
it
on
what
were
its
footings
set
or
who
laid
its
corner
stone
while
the
morning
stars
sang
together
and
all
the
angels
shouted
for
joy
who
shut
up
the
sea
behind
doors
when
it
burst
forth
from
the
womb
when
I
made
the
clouds
its
garment
and
wrapped
it
in
thick
darkness
when
I
fixed
limits
for
it
and
set
its
doors
and
bars
in
place
when
I
said
this
far
you
may
come
and
no
farther
here
is
where
your
proud
waves
halt
have
you
ever
given
orders
to
the
have
you
journeyed
to
the
springs
of
the
sea
or
walked
in
the
recesses
of
the
deep
have
the
gates
of
death
been
shown
to
you
have
you
seen
the
gates
of
the
deepest
darkness
have
you
comprehended
the
vast
expanses
of
the
earth
tell
me
if
you
know
all
this
what
is
the
way
to
the
abode
of
light
and
where
does
darkness
reside
can
you
take
them
to
their
places
do
you
know
the
paths
to
their
dwellings
surely
you
know
for
you
were
already
born
you
have
lived
so
many
years
have
you
entered
the
storehouses
of
the
snow
or
seen
the
storehouses
of
the
hail
which
I
reserve
for
times
of
trouble
for
days
of
war
and
battle
what
is
the
way
to
the
place
where
the
lightning
is
dispersed
or
the
place
where
the
east
winds
are
scattered
over
the
earth
who
cuts
a
channel
for
the
torrents
of
rain
and
a
path
for
the
thunderstorm
does
the
rain
have
a
father
who
fathers
the
drops
of
dew
from
whose
womb
comes
the
ice
who
gives
birth
to
the
frost
from
the
heavens
when
the
waters
become
hard
as
stone
when
the
surface
of
the
deep
is
frozen
can
you
bind
the
chains
of
the
Pleiades
can
you
loosen
Orion's
belt
can
you
bring
forth
the
constellations
in
their
seasons
or
lead
out
the
bear
with
its
cubs
do
you
know
the
laws
of
the
heavens
can
you
set
up
God's
dominion
over
the
earth
can
you
raise
your
voice
to
the
clouds
and
cover
yourself
with
a
flood
of
water
do
you
send
the
lightning
bolts
on
their
way
do
they
report
to
you
here
we
are
and
God
goes
on
this
goes
on
quite
a
bit
more
the
Lord
said
to
Job
will
the
one
who
contends
with
let
him
who
accuses
God
answer
him
then
Job
answered
the
Lord
I
am
unworthy
how
can
I
reply
to
you
I
put
my
hand
over
my
mouth
I
spoke
once
but
I
have
no
answer
twice
but
I
will
say
no
more
then
the
Lord
spoke
to
Job
out
of
the
storm
brace
yourself
like
a
man
I
will
question
you
and
you
shall
answer
me
and
here
it
is
would
you
discredit
my
justice
would
you
condemn
me
to
justify
yourself
do
you
have
an
arm
like
God's
and
can
your
voice
thunder
like
his
then
adorn
yourself
with
glory
and
splendor
and
clothe
yourself
in
honor
and
majesty
unleash
the
fury
of
your
wrath
look
at
all
who
are
proud
and
bring
them
low
look
at
all
who
are
proud
and
humble
them
crush
the
wicked
where
they
stand
bury
them
all
in
the
dust
together
shroud
their
faces
in
the
grave
then
I
myself
will
admit
to
you
that
your
own
right
hand
can
save
you
now
this
is
not
comforting
I
mean
here's
Job
miserable
and in
anguish
he's
lost
everything
his
wife
and his
friends
and his
neighbors
have
turned
on him
and
let's
just
get it
out
there
this
is
not
a
comforting
and
sympathetic
way
that
God
reveals
himself
to
Job
but
there
is
a
reason
for
it
at
the
start
of
all
this
Job
would
not
think
of
accusing
God
of
wrongdoing
but
then
eventually
it
comes
to
light
that
he
really
did
admit
say
think
that
God
had
wronged
him
that
God
was
withholding
justice
from
him
this
sort
of
pride
seems
to
emerge
on the
part
of
Job
and
Job
seems
to
set
himself
up
as
the
judge
and
put
God
on
trial
and
give
verdict
over
God
about
how
God
has
been
conducting
himself
in
his
case
and
it's
against
this
pride
that
God
comes
in
these
final
chapters
when
he
appears
in
the
storm
God
asks
a
whole
series
of
rhetorical
questions
here
he
basically
says
no
Job
I
am
God
you
are
man
I'll
question
you
and
you
will
answer
me
not
the
other
way
around
and
these
questions
of
God
essentially
put
Job
in
his
place
they
humble
him
they
smash
his
pride
God
says
I'm
the
creator
of
everything
in the
heavens
above
and
everything
on
the
earth
below
I
was
there
at
the
beginning
of
this
world
long
before
you
were
born
I
made
it
all
everything
in
nature
every
animal
every
tree
every
blade
of
grass
every
particle
of
light
every
snow
flake
every
ion
in
the
atmosphere
answers
to
me
I
establish
the
laws
of
the
universe
you
are
just
one
of
my
creations
Job
and
there
are
many
things
that
you
simply
do
not
understand
there
are
many
things
that
are
far
beyond
your
grasp
and
are
you
going
to
put
me
on
trial
and
accuse
me
of
wrongdoing
Job
replies
at the
end
in
chapter
42
he
says
I
know
that
you
can
do
all
things
no
purpose
of
yours
can
be
thwarted
you
asked
who
is
this
that
obscures
my
plans
without
knowledge
surely
I
spoke
of
things
I
did
not
understand
things
too
wonderful
for
me
to
know
you
said
listen
now
and
I
will
speak
I
will
question
you
and
you
shall
answer
me
my ears
had
heard
of
you
but
now
my
eyes
have
seen
you
therefore
I
despise
myself
and
repent
in dust
and ashes
Job
says
I
repent
I'm
sorry
God
for
questioning
your
justness
your
goodness
for
accusing
you
of
wrongdoing
forgive
me
forgive
and
the
story
ends
in
this
way
God
vindicates
Job
in front
of his
three
friends
and
then
we
read
this
in
verse
10
the
Lord
restored
his
fortunes
and
gave
him
twice
as
much
as
he
had
before
all
his
brothers
and
sisters
and
everyone
who
had
known
him
before
came
and
ate
with
him
in
his
house
they
comforted
and
consoled
him
over
all
the
trouble
the
Lord
had
brought
on
him
the
Lord
blessed
the
latter
part
of
Job's
life
more
than
the
former
part
he
had
14,000
sheep
6,000
camels
1,000
yoke
of
oxen
and
1,000
donkeys
and
he
also
had
seven
sons
and
three
daughters
nowhere
in
all
the
land
where
there
found
women
as
beautiful
as
Job's
daughters
and
their
father
granted
them
an
inheritance
along
with
their
brothers
after
this
Job
lived
140
years
he
saw
his
children
and
their
children
to
the
fourth
generation
and
so
Job
died
an
old
man
and
full
of
years
now
the
point
of
this
all
this
at
the
end
is
not
to
comfort
us
with
a
sort
of
religious
formula
like
you
know
when
God
brings
disaster
in
our
lives
he
will
always
return
to
us
double
what
we
lost
that's
not
the
point
here
Job's
first
ten
children
were
irreplaceable
he
really
did
lose
them
tragically
and
none
of
this
that
just
happened
changed
that
or
undid
that
but
we
also
see
that
Job's
sorrow
and
grief
didn't
last
eventually
he
was
comforted
the
darkness
and
the
pain
lifted
peace
joy
and
gladness
were
returned
to
him
he
received
new
gifts
from
God
and
had
the
chance
to
make
many
new
memories
the
Lord
gave
and
the
Lord
took
away
and
the
Lord
gave
again
you
know
one
thing
we
notice
in
this
story
is
that
we
never
really
do
get
an
answer
to
the
why
did
God
allow
this
to
happen
what
good
was
brought
from
it
God
spoke
directly
to
Job
here
and
yet
nowhere
in
God's
words
does
he
say
I
brought
this
because
I
did
this
because
I
allowed
this
in
order
to
God
doesn't
always
explain
his
purposes
in
allowing
suffering
calamity
or loss
yes we
get glimpses
in the
Bible
of how
God
can
work
good
through
tragedy
and
hardship
but the
various
good
reasons
God
brings
it
are not
always
the
same
in
every
circumstance
and
in
every
situation
there's
so many
different
things
that God
is
constantly
at
work
doing
in
the
lives
of
so
many
different
people
all
at
once
even
the
effects
of
what
he
allows
in
our
lives
are
so
far
reaching
who
but
he
can
even
fathom
the
why
but
what
we
do
see
clearly
in
the
story
of
Job
what's
here
for
us
today
this
week
as we
continue
to
grieve
with
our
community
these
are
some
things
that
stood
out
to
me
first
it's
okay
like
Job
did
to
cry
to
feel
grief
sorrow
pain
anguish
it's
okay
to be
deeply
unsettled
and
to
not
have
peace
and
it
is
normal
to
long
for
escape
from
the
weight
of
these
things
when
disaster
comes
next
it's
sometimes
a
comfort
to
know
that
others
have
felt
this
way
too
men
like
Job
did
and
we
don't
wish
suffering
or loss
on
anyone
but
in
some
strange
way
reading
words
like
Job's
that
capture
what
we
feel
it
reminds
us
that
we're
not
alone
in
our
suffering
we
learn
a lot
from
Job's
friends
here
and
I
hope
we
can
all
take
a
lesson
from
it
we
learn
from
Job's
friends
that
we
should
mourn
with
those
who
are
mourning
and
let
our
words
be
few
we
learn
that
in
times
of
great
tragedy
speaking
can
do
more
harm
than
good
we
also
learn
from
Job's
friends
that
we
should
not
seek
to
fix
the
thoughts
or
perspectives
or
feelings
that
are
born
out
of
sorrow
or
grief
we
should
not
even
try to
answer
for those
who are
grieving
the why
question
in times
of great
tragedy
and loss
such as
this
God
alone
knows
why
he let
this
happen
and he
may or
he may
not
tell us
the reason
in this
life
we learn
from this
story that
God has
his own
unfathomable
purposes
for
everything
will
we
trust
him
will
we
worship
him
still
will
we
praise
him
in the
good
times
and
the
bad
no
matter
how
hard
it
hurts
no
matter
how
persistently
it
aches
no
matter
how
unfair
it
seems
no
matter
how
senseless
it
seems
we learn
from
Job
that
we
ought
not
to
take
up
the
gavel
against
God
and
accuse
him
of
wrong
doing
he
is
God
and
he
is
good
he
never
does
evil
he
never
does
wrong
he
never
allows
stuff
like
this
to
happen
for
trivial
reasons
one
of the
biggest
questions
the story
of Job
raises
is a
question
that
we
wrestle
with
in a
tragedy
like
this
it
came
up
in
Sunday
school
this
morning
how
can
God
be
good
and
allow
this
how
can
God
be
good
and
bring
this
there's
only
one
place
I
know
to
find
the
beginning
of
the
answer
to
this
question
let
me
encourage
you
to
look
to
the
cross
where
God
himself
suffered
and
knew
anguish
and
pain
hear the
words of
Jesus
as he
hung
there
dying
for
us
my
God
my
God
why
have
you
forsaken
me
and
we
all
know
the
reason
Jesus
died
on
the
cross
it
was
for us
it
was to
atone
for our
sins
it
was to
bring a
just
pardon
for our
wrongdoing
it
was to
offer
mercy
and
forgiveness
and
salvation
to the
whole
world
can
God
be
good
and
bring
good
through
the
suffering
and
death
of a
blameless
and
upright
man
yes
he
can
he
did
and
he
will
father
in
heaven
we
pray
and
ask
for
your
help
in
our
weakness
not
just
for us
here
but
for
our
whole
community
we
don't
understand
this
and
our
hearts
are
torn
and
we
can
only
imagine
what
the
closest
family
must
be
feeling
and
we
just
ask
that
you
would
be
a
comfort
to
them
in
this
time
and
that
you
would
reveal
yourself
tenderly
in
mercy
help
our
whole
community
as
we
go
through
this
may
we
come
out
with
a
deeper
faith
in
you
a
deeper
trust
in
you
may
we
come
out
strong
declaring
that
you
are
God
you
are
good
blessed
be
your
name
amen