#earlwoodanglican #brendanmclaughlin #job28
From the minister . . .
Job’s Resources
The Book of Job has provided strength and comfort to sufferers as it ministers to
people from wheelchairs. Last week’s sermon looked at 3 tools Job used to get
through his time of deep affliction. Yet these tools must be packed in our
metaphorical ‘emergency go-bag’ before suffering hits.
The first is a sense of God’s presence. Just like a referee in a boxing match is there
to ensure things don’t get out of hand, so too may God allow Satan to punch us,
but only up to a certain point. If God paid an infinite price for his disciples, he would not stand by idly and let them be crushed. Sensing God’s presence
provides enormous comfort and strength in times of trouble.
The second tool is only touched on in the book of Job but is a major theme
throughout the whole Bible, which is the knowledge that suffering produces
perseverance (Rom 5:3). While suffering may leave us physically and mentally
weakened, it can increase our faith, if we allow it to. Seeing how God helped
us through past experiences gives us the assurance that will continue to uphold
us through future affliction. Alongside this is the belief in God’s promise that ‘in all
things, God works for the good of those who love him’ (Rom 8:28).
Thirdly is hope that things will get better. Job 19:25 says ‘I know that my redeemer
lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth’. In the OT a Kinsman Redeemer
paid a ransom to release their close relative from financial debt. Many centuries
after Job, his redeemer did stand on the earth, and suffered to pay Job’s spiritual
debt, and ours. As such Christians can be certain that even if things don’t get better
in this life, they will in the next. This too helps us persevere through times of
suffering.
Brendan McLaughlin
