Scripture: Job 1:18-19 – “While he was still speaking, another came and said, ‘Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, and suddenly a great wind came across the desert, struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; I alone have escaped to tell you.’” (NRSV)
I was very proud of myself this week. Last week, I was able to go to Juniors for gas and it cost less than $4.00 a gallon! The next day, everything was $4.19 or more. There have been many bitter jokes about the price of gas and inflation and other economic woes that we have been facing. Between the coronavirus, riots and unrest, supply chain issues, and war abroad, it seems that one thing after another is coming after us. And while we enjoy the convenience of next day shipping and fresh produce from around the world whenever we want, the downside is that in the interconnectedness of our “small world”, when something goes wrong, everything goes wrong. This one thing after another kind of misery naturally lends itself to dark humor, but even that wears away over time. It gets to the point where we cannot just laugh it off anymore. At times like this, it is especially important to remember that we are not alone.
This reminds of the story of Job. Satan tells God that the righteous and successful Job is only faithful to God because he has everything he needs. Take it away, the Adversary argues, and Job will turn away. Thus, Satan is allowed to ruin by disaster everything in Job’s life. One day, Job is told that two different sets of enemy raiders had carried off most of his livestock and the rest were killed by fire coming from the sky. One messenger after another arrives to tell of the loss. Finally, the last messenger says that the house in which all his children were eating collapsed during a freak windstorm. Job cannot even breathe before he hears of another calamity happening to him. At the end of it all, Job tears his robe and shaves his head, traditional gestures of morning. He prays, saying, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job continues to show faith in God no matter what.
Later, Satan afflicts Job with painful boils such that he can hardly move from the pain, but despite his anger and frustration at God, he never completely loses his faith. Even when his so-called friends arrive and only make him feel worse, he refuses to give in. He knows that his redeemer lives, and that justice will be done, somehow, some way.
We are all struggling right now, and it seems that every time we turn on the news, something worse has happened. But in the face of misery, we can find solace that God does love us and is with us even when things seem the bleakest. We have a church family in which we support each other and where we never feel alone. Things may get worse before they get better, but even in darkest days, God always shines a light for us to follow.
Prayer: God, keep us hopeful during these difficult times. Remind us of your presence and of the sacrifices of our savior Jesus for our sakes. Amen.
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