Some of my thoughts on Job
Job's friends were really unhelpful! I read a comment on another day about this, they really didn't understand the complexities of God in the way that Job did - he understood that you cannot fully comprehend God, until we're in heaven we're not going to understand everything that God does. We really do find it hard to see the bigger picture, because we don't get to see all the pieces.
I think we really have to be careful about what we say to others, and whether we're actually saying something that is right. Also, we need to be careful who we surround ourselves with - who we listen to, particularly when we are in times of trouble.
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
I must say, I did struggle with this a little at first, because when you first read it, you think 'Well, the ones who worked longer were right! It was unfair!', but then I remembered that they were only promised 1 denarius in the first place, so really it wasn't.
I find it hard because of verse 16 where it says "So the last will be first, and the first will be last". In this context it really does seem unfair and unjust, but when upon re-reading the story, I realised that the landowner was not really putting the later workers first, but instead just making them equal to the earlier ones.
I have no problem thinking about this in terms of God's grace - he is gracious to we who do not deserve it. His grace and mercy mean that it doesn't matter how bad we've sinned, or how long we've been Christians, because as long as we come to him, and believe in Christ, we will all have eternal life.
I liked this comment:
Posted by Emma
God is big enough to deal with our rants and I know that sometimes I need to rant at someone and the one person I know will understand completely is him. So yes, if you need to rant, go to God – always :) x
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
Day 28 - BIOY
Well, today the blog post itself was about 'the rich man' and how we are all 'rich' really, we have everything we need, and more in many cases - not everyone in the world has that. We need to remember that it is difficult for us to enter the kingdom of God when we value this too highly...
Some really interesting comments:
Posted by Kim
I think its also about using what we have for God. So it’s like God says “give me all your riches – car, house, money, job etc. but then he says here you can keep them, but as long as you use them to further my kingdom and use them for my glory. So if someone needs food – we use “God’s money” to buy it for them, if someone needs a ride we used “God’s car” to give them a lift, if someone needs a place to stay we use “God’s house” to help them out etc. In that way they are ours no longer and we don’t hold onto them like our precious pocessions or ‘idols’ – they are God’s.
Posted by Sarah
I love how Jesus doesn’t just tell the rich man to follow the 10 commandments, he shows him how. When I was reading what Jesus said today, I was thinking ‘hold on a minute, that’s only 7 commandments he’s mentioned there’. But then I realised the 3 he left out are summed up in what he asks the man to do.
We are not to take the Lord’s name in vain- I normally just think of that as swearing, but maybe it’s also a heart thing: this man believed he was holy and righteous in front of God, when actually he was pretty far from it- and needed a little more respect.
We are not to covet our neighbours’… [fill in the gap here] and most of all we are not to have any other gods than God. I don’t see any way the rich man could act out these two commandments better than by giving all he had to the poor and following Jesus.
Talk about a challenge!
And one about Job - posted by Tim
Job is a tricky book to read, but in this morning’s reading there was one of my favourite verses in the book. Job is struggling with his pain and suffering, his friends don’t understand him and are giving him a hard time, Job feels that God doesn’t understand him either. Then in Job 9:33, he says this “If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both.” In a dispute an arbitrator understands both parties and will do his best to bring them together. Job longs for such a person who will understand him and who understands God, and can bring both together. He was longing for JESUS! In a life that sometimes is confusing and we feel people, and even God, don’t understand us, Jesus came into our world, he understands us and now is the perfect go-between!
A verse I liked: Job 9:10
'He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted'
Some really interesting comments:
Posted by Kim
I think its also about using what we have for God. So it’s like God says “give me all your riches – car, house, money, job etc. but then he says here you can keep them, but as long as you use them to further my kingdom and use them for my glory. So if someone needs food – we use “God’s money” to buy it for them, if someone needs a ride we used “God’s car” to give them a lift, if someone needs a place to stay we use “God’s house” to help them out etc. In that way they are ours no longer and we don’t hold onto them like our precious pocessions or ‘idols’ – they are God’s.
Posted by Sarah
I love how Jesus doesn’t just tell the rich man to follow the 10 commandments, he shows him how. When I was reading what Jesus said today, I was thinking ‘hold on a minute, that’s only 7 commandments he’s mentioned there’. But then I realised the 3 he left out are summed up in what he asks the man to do.
We are not to take the Lord’s name in vain- I normally just think of that as swearing, but maybe it’s also a heart thing: this man believed he was holy and righteous in front of God, when actually he was pretty far from it- and needed a little more respect.
We are not to covet our neighbours’… [fill in the gap here] and most of all we are not to have any other gods than God. I don’t see any way the rich man could act out these two commandments better than by giving all he had to the poor and following Jesus.
Talk about a challenge!
And one about Job - posted by Tim
Job is a tricky book to read, but in this morning’s reading there was one of my favourite verses in the book. Job is struggling with his pain and suffering, his friends don’t understand him and are giving him a hard time, Job feels that God doesn’t understand him either. Then in Job 9:33, he says this “If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both.” In a dispute an arbitrator understands both parties and will do his best to bring them together. Job longs for such a person who will understand him and who understands God, and can bring both together. He was longing for JESUS! In a life that sometimes is confusing and we feel people, and even God, don’t understand us, Jesus came into our world, he understands us and now is the perfect go-between!
A verse I liked: Job 9:10
'He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted'
Monday, 27 September 2010
Day 27 - BIOY
Why did God 'suggest' Job to Satan?
Response posted by JonLegacy
God can seem pretty harsh in this story, almost like he starts the whole thing by bragging about how good Job is, but there is another way of reading it, by looking at Job 1;8 and 2;3 differently. When Satan turns up before God, God asks him “where have you been?” and the Accuser replies “Just looking around the Earth”. One of the root words for ‘Satan’, the ‘Accuser’ is ‘S’ut’, the ‘roving eye’ – Satan has been looking for someone to tempt or accuse or destroy, and he has found Job. Knowing Satan’s heart already God says with resignation “Have you really set your heart on my servant Job? There is no-one like him etc…”, and then Satan accuses God of mollycoddling Job, calling Job’s faith into question in the heavenly court, and so the matter has to be proved – it is Satan looking to destroy Job that starts the story, and not God setting Job up as a target. Our enemy hates us, and looks to destroy us, especially those who choose to live in the love of God that he rejected – we are all targets, “but shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
What's a eunuch?
Posted by BornToBeWild
Eunuchs were castrated men, generally given important positions because their castration made them supposedly more trustworthy. And you’re right that they wouldn’t have been married, for obvious reasons. =P
An interesting quote commented:
Posted by CP
‘Looking back, I have learned that the wilderness is as much a part of the landscape of faith.
Every bit essential as the mountain top. On the mountain top we are overwhelmed by Gods presence.
In the wilderness we are overwhelmed by his absence.
Both places should bring us to our knees.
The one in utter awe, the other in utter dependence.’
Response posted by JonLegacy
God can seem pretty harsh in this story, almost like he starts the whole thing by bragging about how good Job is, but there is another way of reading it, by looking at Job 1;8 and 2;3 differently. When Satan turns up before God, God asks him “where have you been?” and the Accuser replies “Just looking around the Earth”. One of the root words for ‘Satan’, the ‘Accuser’ is ‘S’ut’, the ‘roving eye’ – Satan has been looking for someone to tempt or accuse or destroy, and he has found Job. Knowing Satan’s heart already God says with resignation “Have you really set your heart on my servant Job? There is no-one like him etc…”, and then Satan accuses God of mollycoddling Job, calling Job’s faith into question in the heavenly court, and so the matter has to be proved – it is Satan looking to destroy Job that starts the story, and not God setting Job up as a target. Our enemy hates us, and looks to destroy us, especially those who choose to live in the love of God that he rejected – we are all targets, “but shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
What's a eunuch?
Posted by BornToBeWild
Eunuchs were castrated men, generally given important positions because their castration made them supposedly more trustworthy. And you’re right that they wouldn’t have been married, for obvious reasons. =P
An interesting quote commented:
Posted by CP
‘Looking back, I have learned that the wilderness is as much a part of the landscape of faith.
Every bit essential as the mountain top. On the mountain top we are overwhelmed by Gods presence.
In the wilderness we are overwhelmed by his absence.
Both places should bring us to our knees.
The one in utter awe, the other in utter dependence.’
- David Drecky
And a song...
Someone posted the lyrics to this song, so I thought I'd add the video here - hadn't heard it before today, but I rather like it.
And a song...
Someone posted the lyrics to this song, so I thought I'd add the video here - hadn't heard it before today, but I rather like it.
Sunday, 26 September 2010
Day 26 - BIOY
Teehee, Andy dressed as Mike...
Why was Satan with the angels, coming to talk to God?
A suggestion from the blog:
Posted by Calum
When Job was written, the name ‘Satan’ was not seen as the devil or anything like that. That’s a much later development in Judeo-Christian theology. Here, whoever Satan is is just portrayed as a particularly cunning member of the heavenly court.
Some comments I found interesting:
Posted by Mummy Snuggs
There is an old saying, which I think may be of Jewish origin, “God never gives you a problem you can’t handle”. And today’s reading from Job seems to agree, as God knew that Satan was going to give someone a load of grief and cause a load of trouble, and he knew that Job, being “upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” would be able to bear the suffering that was coming. As a little girl I thought God, for some reason, had to let Satan put a certain amount of suffering in the world at any one time, so if something bad was happening to me, it made someone else’s suffering less. And as I grew up, I chose to look at it this way – if God is allowing me to have this much trouble in my life, he must think I am strong enough to deal with it, he won’t let it get too much for me so long as I lean on him, and this much aggravation must mean he thinks I’m awesome! People who appear to have trouble free lives are that way because God knows they couldn’t handle real problems.
I got my pastor really worried when I was becoming a Christian at 23, because the first book I read was Job. He asked ‘why?’ and said I should rather read John. “Well,” I said, “If I’m going to get into this thing, I need to know how bad it can get.”
Some Matt Redman songs I remembered when reading these passages...
Job 1:21 - "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be saved."
Reminded me of: 'Blessed be your name'
Psalm 16:8 - "I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken."
Reminded me of: ' We shall not be shaken'
Why was Satan with the angels, coming to talk to God?
A suggestion from the blog:
Posted by Calum
When Job was written, the name ‘Satan’ was not seen as the devil or anything like that. That’s a much later development in Judeo-Christian theology. Here, whoever Satan is is just portrayed as a particularly cunning member of the heavenly court.
Some comments I found interesting:
Posted by Mummy Snuggs
There is an old saying, which I think may be of Jewish origin, “God never gives you a problem you can’t handle”. And today’s reading from Job seems to agree, as God knew that Satan was going to give someone a load of grief and cause a load of trouble, and he knew that Job, being “upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” would be able to bear the suffering that was coming. As a little girl I thought God, for some reason, had to let Satan put a certain amount of suffering in the world at any one time, so if something bad was happening to me, it made someone else’s suffering less. And as I grew up, I chose to look at it this way – if God is allowing me to have this much trouble in my life, he must think I am strong enough to deal with it, he won’t let it get too much for me so long as I lean on him, and this much aggravation must mean he thinks I’m awesome! People who appear to have trouble free lives are that way because God knows they couldn’t handle real problems.
So don’t envy those who seem to have almost ‘blessed’ lives, pray for them to grow stronger so they can join with the rest of us, showing Satan that faith in the Lord can overcome what ever troubles the Lord allows him to put on us.
Posted by FionaI got my pastor really worried when I was becoming a Christian at 23, because the first book I read was Job. He asked ‘why?’ and said I should rather read John. “Well,” I said, “If I’m going to get into this thing, I need to know how bad it can get.”
Some Matt Redman songs I remembered when reading these passages...
Job 1:21 - "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be saved."
Reminded me of: 'Blessed be your name'
Psalm 16:8 - "I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken."
Reminded me of: ' We shall not be shaken'
Saturday, 25 September 2010
Day 25 - BIOY
Favourite bit from today's readings: Matthew 17:20
"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Something I'd never noticed before!
Bit of a random miracle in Matt:17:27 - and interesting way to get tax money ('so that we may not offend them').
"Go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours."
Promises of God - Phillipians 4:19
"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
My favourite promise: Jeremiah 29:11
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"
"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Something I'd never noticed before!
Bit of a random miracle in Matt:17:27 - and interesting way to get tax money ('so that we may not offend them').
"Go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours."
Promises of God - Phillipians 4:19
"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
My favourite promise: Jeremiah 29:11
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"
Friday, 24 September 2010
Day 24 - BIOY
What's all this 'put your hand under my thigh' business, when making a promise?
It was a way of swearing by the family line.
One person mentioned that 'under the thigh' is a euphemism for the genitals (and another said "I was so hoping no one was going to mention that!").
Also they had the idea that it may also be to do with Joseph wrestling God - "because when the ‘man’ wrestles with Israel he ‘touches him in the socket of the hip, and it was wrenched’ – its another euphemism… the angel hits him below the belt! God fights dirty with Jacob to show him what it feels like to be on the receiving end of dirty tricks…"
I don't understand, was Elijah actually John the Baptist?
No, Jesus was linking them by referring to them in that way.
Response posted by Calum
One of the last prophets in the Old Testament (Malachi 4.5) talked about Elijah coming to prepare people for the ‘great day of the LORD’, suggesting that after that, only the Messiah would be left to come. By linking John the Baptist to Elijah (I don’t think there’s enough in the passages to say whether it was literally Elijah, or whether Elijah stood as a symbol which John the Baptist fulfilled), Jesus is suggesting that John the Baptist was the prophet after whom only the Messiah would come – and so implicitly claims to be the Messiah through the passage.
Why would Joseph have 'bought' the people in return for giving them food? Surely slavery isn't the way...
Joseph was in charge of Egypt's resources, and couldn't just give away the grain for free. However, he did not use these 'bought' people in a way that would mean they were in horrible conditions or anything like that. Instead, they had land to farm, and were to give a fifth of their harvest to Pharoah - in this way, he still served Pharoah, and made profit for him, but he also save the lives of the people, and allowed them to live well despite their poor circumstances.
Really good bit: Proverbs 3:1-2
"Keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity."
And of course: Proverbs 3:5
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding"
I also liked how one person mentioned that the 'and' is significant - suggesting that we can trust in the Lord with all our heart's and still lean on our own understanding. It is an interesting idea, and we should strive to follow this passage...
It was a way of swearing by the family line.
One person mentioned that 'under the thigh' is a euphemism for the genitals (and another said "I was so hoping no one was going to mention that!").
Also they had the idea that it may also be to do with Joseph wrestling God - "because when the ‘man’ wrestles with Israel he ‘touches him in the socket of the hip, and it was wrenched’ – its another euphemism… the angel hits him below the belt! God fights dirty with Jacob to show him what it feels like to be on the receiving end of dirty tricks…"
I don't understand, was Elijah actually John the Baptist?
No, Jesus was linking them by referring to them in that way.
Response posted by Calum
One of the last prophets in the Old Testament (Malachi 4.5) talked about Elijah coming to prepare people for the ‘great day of the LORD’, suggesting that after that, only the Messiah would be left to come. By linking John the Baptist to Elijah (I don’t think there’s enough in the passages to say whether it was literally Elijah, or whether Elijah stood as a symbol which John the Baptist fulfilled), Jesus is suggesting that John the Baptist was the prophet after whom only the Messiah would come – and so implicitly claims to be the Messiah through the passage.
Why would Joseph have 'bought' the people in return for giving them food? Surely slavery isn't the way...
Joseph was in charge of Egypt's resources, and couldn't just give away the grain for free. However, he did not use these 'bought' people in a way that would mean they were in horrible conditions or anything like that. Instead, they had land to farm, and were to give a fifth of their harvest to Pharoah - in this way, he still served Pharoah, and made profit for him, but he also save the lives of the people, and allowed them to live well despite their poor circumstances.
Really good bit: Proverbs 3:1-2
"Keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity."
And of course: Proverbs 3:5
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding"
I also liked how one person mentioned that the 'and' is significant - suggesting that we can trust in the Lord with all our heart's and still lean on our own understanding. It is an interesting idea, and we should strive to follow this passage...
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Day 23 - BIOY
Sorry, I've been really busy with CU stuff so haven't managed to blog about BIOY recently - trying to do a major catch up today...
Joseph - Signpost to Jesus
Andy was talking about how there were many parallels between the lives of Joseph and Jesus:
Amused...
Lots of people had made references to Joseph, the musical. I've only seen it once, but it was excellent
Really liked: Genesis 45:24
"Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, 'don't quarrel on the way!'"
Joseph - Signpost to Jesus
Andy was talking about how there were many parallels between the lives of Joseph and Jesus:
- When he was young, Joseph had dreams of being a ruler, and there were hints of this in his early life - There were also many signs in Jesus' early life, including the magi.
- Joseph was sold for 20 pieces of silver, and Jesus for 30, this was the price of a slave (by Jesus time it had gone up)
- They were both tempted - by Mrs Potiphar and Satan - and both stood their ground so as not to disobey God and ruin what he had for them.
- They were both falsely accused and unjustly sentenced.
- During their sentences, both were with 2 other men, and spoke words of life to 1 of them.
- They both had hugely significant elevations - Joseph went from prisoner to prince, Jesus went from dead to being at the right hand of God.
- After becoming in a position of power, they both did not kill/punish those who did wrong to them, but instead forgave them.
Amused...
Lots of people had made references to Joseph, the musical. I've only seen it once, but it was excellent
Really liked: Genesis 45:24
"Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, 'don't quarrel on the way!'"
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