Trinity United Methodist Church Daily Scripture Email Devotion for Monday, 26 May 2014 "Job Speaks Today"

Trinity United Methodist Church Daily Scripture Email Devotion for Monday, 26 May 2014 "Job Speaks Today"
In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job.  This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil (Job 1:1).
This week we will be looking at one of the most vexing problems we humans encounter: inexplicable suffering. Some suffering can be explained, even understood; it's the result of our own foolishness or mistakes, or due to the evil of others, or other causes.  But the random, senseless, inexplicable suffering that is beyond rhyme or reason, comes "out of the blue," when life crashes in - that's the kind of suffering that is so devastating, and causes so many people to turn away from God, or be tempted to.
Oh, there are great arguments intended to bring an "explanation," huge volumes written to "make sense" of tragedies, and many of these work - for many situations, but, let's be honest: they don't work for every experience.  And perhaps you're experiencing one of those "beyond explanation" crises right now, or have experienced one in years past.  And there will be those who say, "God caused this tragedy and you/we just have to accept it."  DON'T YOU BELIEVE IT!  And there will be those who "find good in the midst of the tragedy."  Praise be to God; it's always good when good can come of tragedy, but, again, let's be honest, (a) it's not always possible to discern good in every tragedy and (b) often the "good" isn't an adequate trade off, not even remotely, for the tragedy that occurred, no matter how intensely one presents the case.  
Job is the patron saint for all who have experienced undeserved, inexplicable suffering.  And I thank God for Job and Job's message.  I hope you will join me each morning this week as we listen to this wisest of Biblical wisdom; wisdom for Job's time, for our time, for all time.
Remember:  One big worship service on June 1 at 10:00 to celebrate our mortgage burning; followed by lunch for everyone.  
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