Shouting at God

•October 8, 2012 • Leave a Comment

Life can have its dark times.

There is a school of thought that thinks God needs to be treated politely, that we should only say nice things to him.

But how is that honest?  And what kind of relationship would that be?  A real relationship needs honesty and a willingness to say what is really in your mind, not to pussyfoot around issues.

We saw last week how Job came to be tested, and that he had done nothing wrong, nothing to deserve the things that were happening to him.  We also heard Job being very philosophical and acknowledging that if one accepted the good, then one also accepted the bad. But now, twenty-three chapters on, he is getting a bit fed up, and lets rip:

Job 23:1-9, 16-17

Job’s Reply to Eliphaz

Today I Complain Bitterly

23 Job said:

2 Today I complain bitterly,
because God has been cruel
and made me suffer.
3 If I knew where to find God,
I would go there
4     and argue my case.
5 Then I would discover
what he wanted to say.
6 Would he overwhelm me
with his greatness?
No! He would listen
7     because I am innocent,
and he would say,
“I now set you free!”

8 I cannot find God anywhere—
in front or back of me,
9     to my left or my right.
God is always at work,
though I never see him.

16     makes me tremble with fear.
17 God has covered me
with darkness,
but I refuse to be silent.

There is nothing wrong in shouting at God.  The Psalmists do it all the time.

“Why”.

That cry can be part of facing up to the situation.  In the Model of Grief, anger and bargaining come before acceptance, and so are very much a part of it.

Do we think God is offended by our shouting?  I don’t think so.  God is happy to accept and hear our emotions.  He’s big enough to take it.  God invites us to cry out to him from the depths of our beings, to be honest with him, to say what we feel – only then can he respond to that.  If we are happy with how things are, then fine, but if we are struggling with how our life and circumstances are then we should tell him – and hear what he has to say.

Lord,

I come to you,

with the honesty of how I’m feeling.

I cannot hide from you,

you know how things are,

and you invite me to come as I am;

so I come,

shouting or singing,

crying or laughing

– for you accept me,

hear me,

and hold me tight

in your care

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Trick Question?

•October 4, 2012 • Leave a Comment

This is largely a re-blog from Lent when I followed the BigRead using Tom Wright’s Lent for Everyone – Mark.

Anyone who has watched any police programme on the television, will be familiar with the phrase,

Anything you do say may be given in evidence

Jesus is again asked a question, not because the Pharisees particularly want to know what he thinks, not because they are trying to gain a deeper understand of his teaching, but because they are trying to trick him into saying something that they can use to undermine him, discredit him, and generally have something to use as evidence that he is up to no good.

Mark 10:2-16

Teaching about Divorce

2Some Pharisees wanted to test Jesus. So they came up to him and asked if it was right for a man to divorce his wife. 3Jesus asked them, “What does the Law of Moses say about that?”

4They answered, “Moses allows a man to write out divorce papers and send his wife away.”

5Jesus replied, “Moses gave you this law because you are so heartless. 6But in the beginning God made a man and a woman. 7That’s why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. 8He becomes like one person with his wife. Then they are no longer two people, but one. 9And no one should separate a couple that God has joined together.”

10When Jesus and his disciples were back in the house, they asked him about what he had said. 11He told them, “A man who divorces his wife and marries someone else is unfaithful to his wife. 12A woman who divorces her husband and marries again is also unfaithful.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children

13 Some people brought their children to Jesus so that he could bless them by placing his hands on them. But his disciples told the people to stop bothering him.

14 When Jesus saw this, he became angry and said, “Let the children come to me! Don’t try to stop them. People who are like these little children belong to the kingdom of God. 15 I promise you that you cannot get into God’s kingdom, unless you accept it the way a child does.” 16 Then Jesus took the children in his arms and blessed them by placing his hands on them.

Tom Wright reminds us (p 95) of the situation of the man whose territory they are in, Herod Antipas, whose marriage to his brother’s wife involved divorce.  They knew that John the Baptists challenging of that had got him into trouble – perhaps they are hoping that the same might happen to Jesus if they can get him to say something that could be construed as condemnation of Herod – thus their dirty work would be done for them.  Herod would get rid of Jesus and the challenge he posed to them as the accepted religious leaders would be gone.

As ever, Jesus cleverly gets them to answer their own question – the words come from their own mouths.  They cannot deny their own teaching, but Jesus teaches into their understanding.  This is what you think… this is what God really meant.

I suppose the challenge for us, is do we get caught up in what we think God means and wants?  Do we half-remember things, try to put words into God’s mouth?  Do we proffer personal opinion as God’s word? Do we get on our high horse about what we believe – without always checking that out with God?  I know I do…

Forgive me Lord

for the times when I confuse my opinion with yours;

when I focus on what I think,

not what you say.

May my thoughts and my words

always find their foundation in you

 

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Why Do You Care?

•October 3, 2012 • Leave a Comment

How much do you care about those around you?  If you saw that someone in need would you go and talk to them, or give them a wide berth?

I’m sure we all have days of doing either, depending on what kind of day we’re having, but perhaps it raises the question of why do we care?  Why should we care?

And if we continue to think about suffering, maybe that leads us to the question,

Why does God care about me?  About us?

Hebrews 2:5-12

The One Who Leads Us To Be Saved

5 We know that God did not put the future world under the power of angels. 6 Somewhere in the Scriptures someone says to God,

“What makes you care
about us humans?
Why are you concerned
for weaklings such as we?
7 You made us lower
than the angels
for a while.
Yet you have crowned us
with glory and honour.
8 And you have put everything
under our power!”

God has put everything under our power and has not left anything out of our power. But we still don’t see it all under our power. 9 What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels. Because of God’s wonderful kindness, Jesus died for everyone. And now that Jesus has suffered and died, he is crowned with glory and honour!

10 Everything belongs to God, and all things were created by his power. So God did the right thing when he made Jesus perfect by suffering, as Jesus led many of God’s children to be saved and to share in his glory. 11 Jesus and the people he makes holy all belong to the same family. That is why he isn’t ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. 12 He even said to God,

“I will tell them your name
and sing your praises
when they come together
to worship.”

Why does God care about us?  He has the whole world to think about – why should he be worrying about me?

Yet care God does.  He made each one of us, knows us intimately, and makes us part of his family.

I don’t know about you, but I find that pretty awesome!

Thank you God,

that you don’t just exist in some far away place;

but you know me

and love me

and actively care for me.

Thank you that you have made me

part of your family,

and Jesus has done all that needs to be done

that I can share in that.

Posted in bible, God, Jesus, Lectionary, Religion
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