Author: Erin Newton

Scripture Focus: Job 33:13-14
13 Why do you complain to him
     that he responds to no one’s words?
 14 For God does speak—now one way, now another—
     though no one perceives it.

Reflection: Reexamining Wisdom
By Erin Newton

There is a stirring in the Christian world. People are asking about life, becoming perplexed at how things are. Many questions are about the Church and its purpose, motives, plans, and policies. The stirring seeks to disturb the status quo. There is a sense of hope that change is on the way.

For many, this is a frightening prospect. Content to hold fast to the ways of tradition, every daring question is considered cautiously. The world works this way, we say. God responds like this. The old patterns are not altogether wrong, but the narrowed perspective can be unhelpful to those with questions.

Elihu speaks to Job out of his own tradition with clear speeches of how things are. His response is not surprising. Each word is a repetition of the wisdom of the day. We’ve seen this throughout the book. The dominant view of God and his people was that those suffering likely deserved it.

When Job complains about God not answering his complaints, Elihu responds tersely, “Of course he has answered you!” He speaks of God answering through dreams that terrify or pain that chastens. Always with the perspective of justice, the wisdom given by Elihu is that Job’s suffering must be a lesson he has to learn.

Job continues to plead his case. His conscience clears him of believing Elihu’s speech is applicable to him. His questions continue to reveal a different perspective or at least he longs to hear something new, something to change the status quo of ancient wisdom. “For God does speak,” Elihu says and that should bring comfort. Job demands of God to speak something new.

We read the story of Job to find comfort in our own suffering. We like to know we are not alone when the pain feels unjustified. We often don’t consider how the story presents a picture of the community wrestling with different perspectives of life. The friends are rooted in their traditional wisdom, and it has served them well over the years. Job’s circumstances force him to look for another answer and beg God to explain it to him.

The stirring in the Church today is a plea to reexamine the wisdom of our day. Is it rightly applied? Are we addressing the community properly? Do we spout spiritual truths to a hurting world without listening or are we joining the plea for God to answer?

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence
Show us the light of your countenance, O God, and come to us. — Psalm 67.1

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


​Today’s Readings
Job 33 (Listen 3:00)
Psalm 17 (Listen 1:58)

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Scripture Focus: Job 26:14
14 And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
     how faint the whisper we hear of him!
     Who then can understand the thunder of his power?

Reflection: Fringes of Creation
By Erin Newton

In a recent lecture, I heard Diane Langberg speak about the mental and emotional weight of constantly counseling those in grief. When asked how she handles the psychological toll of such heaviness, she said one thing she does is reconnect with nature by getting out into the garden and planting flowers.

What hope is gained by looking out the window at birds near a feeder or gazing up to name the constellations in the starry night? How is it that creation can feed the soul and bring a downcast spirit a momentary reprieve? The words of Job hint at this phenomenon. He calls us to consider creation as we try to understand the mysteries of our suffering. 

Looking across the stormy ocean, there is a certain hue of blue-green that is only shown in the tossing of waves. “He wraps up the waters in his clouds.” The skies that settle into a dark gray as the air begins to mist and you can smell rain is on the way—this is done through the hands of God.

Even in the calm mornings near the lake, where the fog clings to the silent motionless waters. There is a calm serenity that creation exemplifies for us each day. “He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters.” It is within reach but often outside our present focus.

The binding of the waters, the limitations of the darkness, the stillness of the sea—all of these speak of the power of God. For Job, it is just the fringe of God’s work.

The mythic dragon that lives in the primordial sea—Rahab, the gliding serpent—has been silenced by the hand of God. The spirit which hovered over the waters is the spirit that split the Red Sea. “By his breath the skies became fair.”

God’s power calmed chaos and brought order. God’s power provided a way through the waters and into deliverance. This is the fringe of God’s works that Job and his friends long to understand.

But just as innocent suffering seems to reside outside our ability to understand, so does the magnitude of God’s power. Reaching down into the dirt, looking out across the valleys, exploring the depths of caves, and climbing above the tree line onto snowcapped mountains—this momentary pause to look at the fringes of his works is one place we find respite in our suffering.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer
Let us make a vow to the Lord our God and keep it; let all around him bring gifts to him who is worthy to be feared. — Psalm 76.11

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


​Today’s Readings
Job 25-26 (Listen 1:52)
Psalm 5-6 (Listen 2:45)

Read more about Tense Conversations
“Tension” is a good word for the dialogues between Job and his friends. The greatest tension is the conflict between how each person views the world.

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Scripture Focus: Job 18:1-2
1  Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
2 “When will you end these speeches?
     Be sensible, and then we can talk.

Reflection: Tense Conversations
By Erin Newton

“Tension” is a good word for the dialogues between Job and his friends. Their relationship is strained. The friends accuse Job of evil despite his pleas to the contrary and our privileged view from the prologue. There is anxiety as the friends (and reader) wait to see if Job really will curse God. Tension abounds.

The greatest tension in the book is the conflict between how each person views the world. The friends, Bildad especially, see the universe operating within a system of divine retribution. God punishes the wicked. This is true. Job, however, knows his innocence. God hears the pleas of the righteous. This is also true.

The discomforting questions remain: Why is Job suffering if he is not evil? Why is God silent if Job is innocent?

As the dialogue is tossed back and forth, Bildad’s reply sounds like someone who is frustrated. I imagine a little huffing and rolling of eyes. The Message translates the verse in similar manner, “How monotonous these word games are getting! Get serious! We need to get down to business.” The New Living translation echoes this sentiment, “How long before you stop talking? Speak sense if you want us to answer!”

Bildad requires some level of sensibility (NIV, NLT) or seriousness (MSG) before the conversation can continue. He asks for a solution to the tension of worldviews. “Agree with me,” captures the sense of his words.

We are quick to criticize Bildad for demanding Job to come to some mental, emotional, or spiritual sensibility. We scoff at his lack of empathy and blindness to Job’s pain. He should be sensitive and give good counsel.

The tension sets in—he’s not wrong in his view of retribution, but we know this is not the right situation for it.

Are we so different from Bildad? We often want someone to grasp this great truth about God so their pain can be eased. We hope some baptized platitudes will ease the burden our friends are carrying. Suffering is not so simple.

Tension marks Job’s painful dialogue with friends. Tension describes the reality that God will punish evil and that the innocent do endure suffering.

Tension resides in our inward struggle to understand the mystery of pain. Tension must be confronted when we sit with our friends in their senseless grief. To live our lives according to Job is to sit within the tension of suffering and justice.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence
Save me, O God, by your Name; in your might, defend my cause.
Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. — Psalm 54.1-2

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


Today’s Readings
Job 18 (Listen 1:54) 
John 17 (Listen 3:40)

Read more about Principles, Promises, and Presence
The problem with Job’s friends is not the content but the application…the wisdom is misapplied to try to “fix” Job through shame and blame.

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Scripture Focus: Job 10.20-22
20 Are not my few days almost over?
    Turn away from me so I can have a moment’s joy
21 before I go to the place of no return,
    to the land of gloom and utter darkness,
22 to the land of deepest night,
    of utter darkness and disorder,
    where even the light is like darkness.

Reflection: Visions of Death
By Erin Newton

It is hard to imagine living in a time when faith in God did not also have a clearer picture of life after death. Today, we are immersed in visions of heaven—warm light, shining streets of gold, endless peace. This truth was not yet revealed in the days of Job.

We often place our hope during suffering in the restoration in the life to come. How can Job endure his suffering, continue in his faith without such assurance in an afterlife?

Job is not alone in his perspective of death. The Old Testament depicts death as a shadowy existence, non-activity, a place where you are cut off from communion with God. Death is accepted as the natural order of humanity. How does that affect Job and his peers? It shifts one’s concentration to this life.

The pinnacle of existence in the Old Testament was a long life devoted to the worship of God. Seeking God in one’s youth could ensure the maximum time available to serve and praise God in a lifetime. The goal to teach younger people about God would provide a sense of eternal service. The hymns of praise we envision around the throne of God would be sung here on earth from generation to generation.

The great tragedy was when a life was cut short, and a person died young. We resonate with this type of pain. While those before Christ would emphasize how the person cannot praise God in death, we tend to focus on missed opportunities of human living.

We have been granted the benefit of a fuller picture of God’s grace and mercy. We can read of heaven and the eternal praise offered to God by saints of old. The tragedy of a short life can be redeemed in the eternal life with God. This is the hope we cling to.

But what if we embrace the here-now mentality of Job? How can we view this life as worth living and worth living to its fullest? How can our present sufferings still be a life of praise?

Job continues in his faith by seeking God. He’s brutally honest, but he keeps talking. God will answer in time.

At the end of our desperation, we will continue to think of heaven and find peace in that vision. We cannot now unsee what has been revealed. Praise God for such a gift.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence
Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. — Psalm 86.4

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

Today’s Readings
Job 10 (Listen 2:12) 
John 10 (Listen 4:44)

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