The Park Forum

Links for today’s readings:

Feb 5 Read: Job 38 Listen:(3:33) Read: Psalms 23-24 Listen: (2:03)

Scripture Focus: Job 38.1a

1 Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm…

Reflection: Two Storms

By John Tillman

There are two storms in the Book of Job. At the beginning is a storm sent by Satan. At the end is a storm bringing God’s presence.

Satan’s storm brings death. A wind blows in from the desert, destroying a house with Job’s children inside. News of this storm comes to Job alongside news of disasters that hit like hailstones. A storm of fire rains down, burning up sheep and shepherds. Raiders steal oxen, camels, and donkeys and murder their caretakers. Satan’s storm crushes joy and celebration. It destroys resources. It leaves Job sobbing in a circle of the storm’s sole survivors.

Satan isn’t satisfied with the external storm’s lack of success. Storms of sickness follow, attacking Job’s skin, bones, inner being, and mind. He scrapes his itching sores with broken pottery. In his mind, thoughts of suicide, death, and annihilation scratch their way to the surface.

As Elihu speaks in chapter 37, he repeatedly references a storm. They must have been able to see it blowing in. “Listen! Listen…” Elihu cries. (Job 37.2-4) In chapter 38, the storm breaks over them.

This storm is no airy, dry wind from the desert. It is far greater and more terrifying. It has lightning, thunder, billowing clouds, and downpours of rain and snow. But this storm is not just sent by God or made by God. God is in this storm. God’s power flashes in its lightning. His roaring voice echoes in its thunder. His hovering Spirit stirs up its billowing clouds of darkness that blot out the sun.

God speaks out of this powerful, threatening storm. His words are harsh, lightning flashes of truth. His emotions rumble like rolling thunder. His arguments are unanswerable. There is no defense against the flood of them. All Job’s words, doubts, and challenges are washed into the sea. Yet, this storm does not bring chaos and death.

God’s storm brings life. Job’s illness washes away with the flood. The sky clears, and God makes Job his priest, interceding and accepting offerings for the sins of his friends. The sun warms Job as friends bring him comfort. Job is, once again, God’s righteous representative, restored to honor, wisdom, and wealth.

God is not in every storm. Some storms just bring death. Wait and pray for the second storm—the storm that brings God’s presence. God’s storm restores health and faith, brings growth and joy, and rains blessings and comfort

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all who dwell in the world stand in awe of him. — Psalm 33.8

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Walking with Christ, we will be led to eat with our enemies rather than destroy them.

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Links for today’s readings:

Feb 4 Read: Job 37 Listen: (2:27) Read: Psalm 22 Listen: (3:49)

Scripture Focus: Job 37:14-16

14 “Listen to this, Job;
    stop and consider God’s wonders.
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
    and makes his lightning flash?
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,
    those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?

Reflection: Same Old Story

By Erin Newton

At no point in time has Job declared himself a scientific genius. When Elihu asks him if he knows how meteorology works, it is more of a statement than a question. Even if Job tried to answer his question, it’s not really the point.

The divine words in the next chapter sound nearly the same: “ Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm?” (Job 38:25–27).

Job doesn’t know how storms really work but I am fairly sure he knows who makes them.

Elihu and the other three friends all refer to the natural world. They speak of the rain, the seas, the heavens, etc. So nothing that God points out in his speech is foreign to Job. He saw clouds, watched lightning, felt rain, and maybe swam in the sea. All the things Job’s friends asked him to consider were familiar. But none of their arguments resonated with him.

The arguments and advice given to Job for all these chapters have been like proverbs—there are universal truths and solid advice, but not always applicable.

Scholars have argued about whether Job had reason to repent, if his repentance was genuine, and so on. But I pause here today to think about how the attempted counsel of his friends, while full of truth, effected no change from Job.

Let’s consider 1 Cor 3:6-7: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”

Could God have answered Job right there in chapter 3 or 4? Absolutely. Why a week of silence and four friends with semi-helpful counsel? Perhaps because we’re all like them. Our call is to seek out friends, sit with them in their suffering, and hopefully speak wisdom. Does it affect change? Not always. (And we might get it wrong, just like them.)

And I think we’re a lot like Job. The truth might be found in a sermon, a friend’s encouragement, a line of a poem, a chorus in a song, a character from a book. We may need to hear truth from many mouths before we are changed.

And we need to keep speaking truth even if it’s been said before. We keep pointing to God and relying on him to affect change.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Test me, O Lord, and try me; examine my heart and mind. — Psalm 26.2

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Prayers Before the Storm

Read more: Hope In the Tree of the Cross

“He has done it,” Psalm 22’s last line proclaims. “It is finished,” Christ’s last breath from the cross echoes.

Links for today’s readings:

Feb 2 Read: Job 35 Listen: (1:33) Read: Psalm 19 Listen: (1:52)

Scripture Focus: Job 35.2-8

2 “Do you think this is just? 
You say, ‘I am in the right, not God.’ 
3 Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me, 
and what do I gain by not sinning?’ 
4 “I would like to reply to you 
and to your friends with you. 
5 Look up at the heavens and see; 
gaze at the clouds so high above you. 
6 If you sin, how does that affect him? 
If your sins are many, what does that do to him? 
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him, 
or what does he receive from your hand? 
8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself, 
and your righteousness only other people.

Reflection: Don’t Troll the Troubled

By John Tillman

Productive conversations with ideological or theological opponents on social media are possible, but rare.

Sometimes, while having a social media conversation, another voice chimes in. Will they help or hurt the conversation? Will they turn into a troll?

The online term “troll” might primarily seem to describe a monster, like the Three Billy Goats Gruff troll. Online trolls are considered monstrous; however, the definition has more to do with fishing-related meanings of “troll.”

“Trolling” is a type of fishing in which a boat drags a fishing line through places where the fisherman hopes fish won’t be able to resist taking the bait. Online trolls scroll through comments and conversation boards, dropping “lures” of offensive content they hope their targets will react to in anger or fear.

When Elihu jumps into Job’s conversation with his friends, we do not know what to expect. Job’s conversation was already not going well. At first, it seems Elihu might add positive things to the conversation, but he quickly starts trolling Job with guilt and blame.

A particular troll tactic Elihu uses is putting words in Job’s mouth. Job never said God was in the wrong or that not sinning was worthless (v. 2-3). Whether intentionally or not, Elihu accused Job of things he didn’t say. He made a “strawman” argument that he could easily attack for verse after verse after verse.

When troubled people truthfully describe their experiences, it is easy for us to hear things they aren’t saying. Don’t hear, “God is unfaithful,” when they say, “Life is hopeless.” Don’t hear, “Grace is not sufficient for me,” when they say, “Pain is unbearable.” Don’t put words in their mouths. If you do, don’t be surprised if they snap like an angry fish. Hurting people don’t need verse after verse attacking arguments they aren’t making.

We can be better counselors than Elihu. Hurting people don’t need to be trolled with truisms that feel like an attack. All people need to know the truth that God’s love is real, even in the hardships. Acknowledge feelings without trying to fix things. Tell them God loves them without demanding they deny their reality. 

The time will come when God shows up as he did for Job. They will remember, and God will honor how we represent God’s faithful love that doesn’t abandon his beloved children when we are in despair.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. — Psalm 19.14
– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: God’s Not Deaf

The fear that…your pleas are being offered to a deaf God are not founded in truth. Do not let your heart nourish such lies.

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The ways of God affect our thinking, reasoning, and action. From our inner emotions and thinking, to our outward actions and perceptions, God’s law shapes us.