The Discussion Continues (8-10)

"Job could not understand what God was doing, and it was important that he not understand. Had Job known that God was using him as a weapon to defeat Satan, he could have simply sat back and waited for trustfully for the battle to end. But as Job surveyed himself and his situation, he asked the same question the disciples asked when Mary anointed the Lord Jesus: "Why this waste?" (Mark 14:4)... Nothing that is given to Christ in faith and love is wasted."

Hmm. This one is a tough one for me. On the one hand, I totally feel like this ALL THE TIME! I feel like it is really important for me to understand what God is doing. Often, He reveals (at least a little bit) of the plan to me, and it brings me great comfort. With the situation with everyone around me right now, I just don't see it, and it hurts not to see it. Would it be better? Is this an example of God testing my faith? Have I given this situation and my reactions to it to God in faith and love? If I did, do I trust Him not to waste it?

The Discussion Begins

"The problem with arguing from observation is that our observations are severely limited. Furthermore, we can't see the human heart as God can and determine who is righteous in His sight."
I forget this so often. I think that I "get" it, particularly when I see others going through struggles. My arrogance is unwarranted, particularly when it comes to interpreting the will of God!! May I never be as Eliphaz, assuming my own experiences and observations apply to everyone else!
"We are nearly always longing for an easy religion, easy to understand and easy to follow; a religion with no mystery, no insoluble problems, no snags; a religion that would allow us to escape from our miserable human condition; a religion in which contact with God spares us all strife, all uncertainty, all suffering and all doubt; in short, a religion without the cross." - Paul Tournier

The Drama Begins

Not sure how this is going to go... I've attempted to read this book several times and utterly failed. We'll see if this time around is different...
1. God is sovereign in all things. It is difficult for me to remember this sometimes, as it seems sometimes like Satan and humans are fighting over what's left of this mess of a planet. All things go through God's Hands and nothing does not. The pain Job felt as he lost all must have battled greatly with his faith at this time...
2. Satan has access to God's throne in heaven. Isn't this weird to think about. I guess I think of heaven like a great big evil shunning bubble. Weird to think Satan can waltz in and chat with the Almighty God without being smote (smoted? Toasted like a bagel?).
3. God found no fault in Job, but Satan did. I always like to think of Satan like Lucifer in Supernatural: i.e. I cannot tell a lie. That's SUCH a misconception. Satan lies all the time and is the father of lies.
4. Satan can only touch people with God's permission and God uses it for their good and for His glory.
In times of severe testing, our first question must not be "how can I get out of this," but "what can I get out of this?"
We live on promises, not explanations; so we shouldn't spend too much time asking God "why."