Lessons in Job
If you didn't read my last post please check it out. I am not often proud of my own work but I am proud of that one. I am excited to write to my donor family again. And this time I can write without worrying about anything being edited out by transplant/donor services. I am so looking forward to sharing more of myself with them and learning more about them from them. I will say that I am still very emotional about the whole thing. It does not escape my mind for one moment that Alex's death gave me life. Since getting the letter I find myself wanting to say Alex's name over and over again.
In other news the roof is mostly shingled at the house and now work inside can move ahead full speed. We can start getting guys in the do plumbing, electricity, heating and more. We are getting there slowly but surely. Thanks again to everyone who came out this weekend and all the others times. We are only as far as we are on the work because of you.
And now this week in the sort of series I am doing -
I used to hate when I was struggling and people would say I was like Job or that I should read Job. I wanted to ask them if they had missed every other part of the Bible where someone encountered hardship and endured.
But then I started to see Job in a different light. And my brain developed more and I started trying to see how people were trying to help me. With that I began to see what the big deal about Job is and why his story is so beautiful.
Job is filled with some pretty great lessons so I thought I would try to briefly share them with you.
Job shows how sickness/tragedy does not always equal some kind of hidden sin. I say this because I think sometimes in the church (as in the body of believers) there can be people that believe this is always the case. The Bible does address that sin can cause sickness and trials. However that is not always the case. Sometimes the situations are like Job's where he was hit with trials as a test of his righteousness. These tests of our faith make us stronger and draw us closer to God which is never a bad thing.
Job's story also address in length surrounding yourself with true friends who will build you up in Christ. I talked about the importance of a good support system already and I think Job's story backs that up. Job's friends were not supportive. In my mind Job's friends were a-holes because they were telling him to "curse God and die." That is not a true friend who has your best interests at heart. Find friends that are the opposite of Job's friends.
Job is also a great example of what it means to truly be blessed. Now my feeling on the word blessed being used so much in our current culture follow Jamie the Very Worst Missionaries feelings pretty closely so check this out for more on that - http://www.theveryworstmissionary.com/2014/11/blessed.html - Job understood and lived what Jamie writes about. He understood that to have ever at anytime be in the presence of the Lord is to be blessed. Job understood that all he had and all he was belonged to the Lord to do with as he pleased. He saw himself as blessed to belong to God and continually chose to bless the Lord's name.
God used that and gave Job such an incredible "Wow God!" moment. Sassy God came out and put Job in his place and in that Job saw that he was blessed. Blessed that God would meet him and speak to him in his mess. Blessed that God defended Job to Satan. Blessed that God watched and knew Job and his heart. Blessed that God credited Job's faithfulness and endurance to him as righteousness.
And we to are blessed in the same ways. Blessed that God longs to be involved in every part of our lives. Blessed that he would give us difficulties to draw us closer to him.
"My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:5 & 6
In other news the roof is mostly shingled at the house and now work inside can move ahead full speed. We can start getting guys in the do plumbing, electricity, heating and more. We are getting there slowly but surely. Thanks again to everyone who came out this weekend and all the others times. We are only as far as we are on the work because of you.
And now this week in the sort of series I am doing -
I used to hate when I was struggling and people would say I was like Job or that I should read Job. I wanted to ask them if they had missed every other part of the Bible where someone encountered hardship and endured.
But then I started to see Job in a different light. And my brain developed more and I started trying to see how people were trying to help me. With that I began to see what the big deal about Job is and why his story is so beautiful.
Job is filled with some pretty great lessons so I thought I would try to briefly share them with you.
Job shows how sickness/tragedy does not always equal some kind of hidden sin. I say this because I think sometimes in the church (as in the body of believers) there can be people that believe this is always the case. The Bible does address that sin can cause sickness and trials. However that is not always the case. Sometimes the situations are like Job's where he was hit with trials as a test of his righteousness. These tests of our faith make us stronger and draw us closer to God which is never a bad thing.
Job's story also address in length surrounding yourself with true friends who will build you up in Christ. I talked about the importance of a good support system already and I think Job's story backs that up. Job's friends were not supportive. In my mind Job's friends were a-holes because they were telling him to "curse God and die." That is not a true friend who has your best interests at heart. Find friends that are the opposite of Job's friends.
Job is also a great example of what it means to truly be blessed. Now my feeling on the word blessed being used so much in our current culture follow Jamie the Very Worst Missionaries feelings pretty closely so check this out for more on that - http://www.theveryworstmissionary.com/2014/11/blessed.html - Job understood and lived what Jamie writes about. He understood that to have ever at anytime be in the presence of the Lord is to be blessed. Job understood that all he had and all he was belonged to the Lord to do with as he pleased. He saw himself as blessed to belong to God and continually chose to bless the Lord's name.
God used that and gave Job such an incredible "Wow God!" moment. Sassy God came out and put Job in his place and in that Job saw that he was blessed. Blessed that God would meet him and speak to him in his mess. Blessed that God defended Job to Satan. Blessed that God watched and knew Job and his heart. Blessed that God credited Job's faithfulness and endurance to him as righteousness.
And we to are blessed in the same ways. Blessed that God longs to be involved in every part of our lives. Blessed that he would give us difficulties to draw us closer to him.
"My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:5 & 6
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