Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 16:39:23 -0500
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (June 2); BP: Job 1; RBTTY: Jn. 13:1-20; II Chron.
June 2 “The Problem of Evil and Suffering”
“Then Job arose and rent his mantle and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshipped and said, ‘Naked came I out of my mother’s womb and naked shall I return thither; the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away—blessed by the Name of the Lord’.”
Job 1:20-21
It’s not a matter or whether or not we’ll experience it; it’s a matter of how we’ll respond to it.
Suffering.
Everyone suffers. Rich people. Poor people. Educated people. Illiterate people. Red, yellow, black, white and brown people. Tall people and short people. Pious people and pagan people.
In some ways that’s part of the message of Job, the oldest book in the Bible and possibly written by Moses. And, interspersed in this powerful book are also other issues with which we must grapple: The problem of evil. . .why does God allow suffering. . . our attitude toward God and others when suffering comes. . .the importance of faith and trust, etc.
That’s why we should spend considerable time in prayer and meditation on Job’s story—especially if we’re going through suffering ourselves. And, hopefully in the midst of our pain we, like Job, will realize how much the Heavenly Father loves us and will use our suffering for our good and His glory. . .IF we’ll let Him.
Although Job’s suffering was caused by satan (1:12; 2:6) and almost seems to be the result of some cruel, celestial chess game (1:6-11; 2:1-5), we must not get hung up on this perplexing scenario. Instead, we must step back and say with the psalmist, Asaph, “God is good” (Ps. 73:1) and trust Him exclusively and implicitly; otherwise, we’ll become despairing and bitter, feeling like the Lord has forgotten or forsaken us.
Even though the Father allows suffering in our life, it doesn’t mean He doesn’t love us. Remember: We live in a terribly sinful world where evil abounds (for now). We’re all going to suffer because of Adam’s sin, others’ sins or our own sins. But, in the midst of our pain there is a Presence, Who’s promised to “never leave us or forsake us” (Heb. 13:5b).
Somehow we think our living a good life, as Job did (1:1, 8; 2:3), should give us some special immunity or exemption to pain and suffering. However, when we remember all that Jesus went through here on the earth and His response to His suffering (Is. 53; Heb. 5:7), we realize it is our “partnership” with Him in suffering that enables us to “know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Phil. 3:10).
Oh, dear Pilgrim, are you struggling in your walk of faith right now because of “fiery trials,” whether mental, emotional, physical or spiritual? If so, remember Job’s and Jesus’ response to their suffering by lying quietly on the Potter’s Wheel (Jer. 18:1-6).
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