For a full description of the (Y4) reading plan, see the “About” page.
Ex. 14
The statement that caught my attention this morning in this story was, “and [Pharaoh] chased after the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out boldly.” (Ex. 14:8b). That immediately made me think of what tends to happen when we commit to some God-serving action or attitude. We go out boldly, determined to keep our commitment. Like Peter, when he boldly declared to Jesus at the Last Supper that he would follow Him, even to death. And then…the enemy pursues. That’s the moment that tests our commitment. Does our resolve melt into fear, as it did with the Israelites and Peter? Or do we remain strong and courageous, holding fast to our faith because we know the truth. “The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.” (Ex. 14:14).
Luke 17
Immediately after Jesus warned about becoming a stumbling block to other Christians, He said that we need to forgive them as often as they repent. We often hear people talk about how refusing to forgive others is detrimental to ourselves. But I think the damage goes a lot farther than we typically think. Beyond harboring bitterness and other ungodly attitudes in our heart, I hear Jesus saying that we become stumbling blocks when we fail to forgive. That means that we stand in the way of that person’s drawing near to God, something He clearly takes a very dim view on.
Job 32
I still don’t know what to think of Elihu. The story never mentions his presence until he speaks after everybody else falls silent. And God does not seem to include him in His condemnation of the other friends. He is something of a mystery. Perhaps there is something in that, as I suspect it is by design. I do agree, however with his assessment of the three friends. They really had no idea why Job suffered what he did, yet they didn’t hesitate to point condemning fingers at him. Every time I read their words I wonder why they didn’t consider that if their words about Job were true, they ought to be sitting right next to him in the same condition. As Jesus later said, “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” (Matt. 7:2).
Things get a little fuzzier for me with his assessment of Job, though. Perhaps that’s because I’m still a little fuzzy as to what Job actually stated. I know he lamented his situation – who wouldn’t. And I know he insisted that he wasn’t wrong in doing so. His lament did not alter his fear and desire for God. As the friends started hurling accusations at him, though, he began to assert his righteousness. Though he never questioned God’s sovereignty, he did state that God attacked Him without cause.
So what did Elihu mean when he said Job, ”justified himself before God.” (Job 32:2b), or, as The Message states it, “[pitted] his righteousness against God’s.”? Job wasn’t wrong in saying that he did nothing to deserve what befell him. And I don’t know that He ever actually accused God of being wrong. God certainly didn’t condemn Job for speaking lies about Him, as He did Job’s friends. So maybe the issue was that Job failed to acknowledge that even man’s purest righteousness is still filthy rags next to God’s. I don’t know. I have learned a lot from Job’s story over the past few years, but it is still a very difficult book to understand.