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Who is it that God is accusing of using ignorant words? Job? Elihu? Bildad? One of the other friends? I like the idea that God is calling all of them ignorant. Whenever a person starts telling God what God’s job is, that person is speaking ignorant words. Everyone in the book of Job at one time or another has tried to tell God what his job is. God’s response is perfect. If you should ever find yourself telling God what to do take a time out and read chapters 38-39 and recognize that God is speaking directly to you.

Job’s response in chapter 40 is the only response that someone can give when confronted with God’s truth; God, you’re right, I’m wrong, I’ll be quiet now. I fail to respond to God in that manner quite a bit. I can think of many occasions when God has told me I’m being dumb, and I keep being dumb. Then God tells me a little more forcefully that I’m being dumb, and I keep being dumb. Finally God slaps me upside the head and I start to figure out that I’m being dumb. I need to follow Job’s example and listen to God the first time.

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Why is it that through this entire book none of Job’s friends took the time to ask God why God is treating Job in this manner? Each of the friends assumes that they know what it is that God is doing. This makes Elihu’s comment that God is too powerful to be understood almost comical; Elihu and his friends are not heading their own advice. That leads me to ask the question: why does Elihu tell Job that God is too powerful to be understood after explaining his own understanding of God? Elihu is again showing his immaturity and, in fact, his irreverence of God.

To some extent I agree with Elihu that God is too great for any of us to fully understand, but that does not mean that we are incapable of some understanding of God. Any understanding of God we have comes from the revelation of God to us. God has revealed, and continues to reveal himself in four primary ways: Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, spiritual mentors/church tradition, and our personal experience of God. When we are trying to understand God we need to consult the Bible, pray, ask our pastors and elders, and remember how God has revealed himself to us in the past.

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Football

I love all the “Tom Brady’s ankle is in a cast” talk, it’s beautiful. I think it may be the greatest ploy to keep the team focused that I have ever seen.

Hockey

Did you see the All-Star game yesterday, me neither. I even tried, but apparently I don’t get that channel. I was bummed. Go Senators!!!

Well, that’s all I’ve got. Have a great week.

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If you are younger and your elders have already spoken to a situation and it still has not been resolved, sometimes that is the time to keep your mouth shut. I can look back on several occasions in my young life when elders had unsuccessfully worked to resolve a situation, so I decided to through my two cents in and wound up making the situation worse. It is a difficult thing to sit and listen to a situation and not speak. However, sometimes the wise action is to sit, and listen, and be silent.

Elihu did not have an adequate understanding of God to be helpful in this situation; he was still a spiritual novice. Before we try to help our friends we need to understand if we are mature enough to help. There is no shame in saying, “I am not yet mature in this area, let’s go talk to someone else.” The first step toward maturity is knowing when not to speak.

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I was surprised at how New Testament Job’s words sounded.  He says that he has resisted lust, treated servants fairly, helped the poor, the orphans and the widows, and had no other gods but God.  Jesus called his followers to love the Lord your God and to love your neighbors.  Two thousand years earlier Job understood that these were God’s rules.

Any time we are truly listening to God we will be called to love God and love our neighbors; I would argue that if we feel called to any other activity then we are missing the point of what God is saying.

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“The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.” So says Job. What is it to have “fear of the Lord”? I would suggest that to have fear of the Lord is to care about what God thinks. To have fear of the Lord is to stop in every activity you engage in throughout the day and ask is this pleasing or displeasing to God. I know without even thinking very hard that there are many activities I engage in that show I do not have a fear of the Lord. I need to work to correct these behaviors.

If we have faith in the grace of Jesus Christ we are blessed with the gift of forgiveness. This gift can make it easy for us to overlook our own sins by saying that they are forgiven. But while our sins may be forgiven, our sins can still hurt us and those around us. If we take the time to have a fear of the Lord we will hurt ourselves and those around us far less.

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After almost eight years of marriage I am confident that I have learned one thing about my wife. I am certain that at least 70% of the time she does not want me to solve her problems, she wants me to listen and sympathize with her. She even goes so far as to ask me “what do you think?” on the few occasions when she wants me to help solve a problem. Even though I cognitively understand this, in the heat of the moment I often try to solve her problems when she does not want me to.

In this passage Job does not need Eliphaz to solve his problem, rather, Job needs Eliphaz to sympathize with him. But for some reason Eliphaz decides that he needs to deduce exactly what it is that Job has done to deserve this punishment from God. Eliphaz is trying to take Job in completely the wrong direction. Eliphaz is trying to lead Job away from God and toward Job’s own actions.

In life there will be many times when a friend or loved one will come to you and say I feel separated from God, I feel surrounded by darkness, why is there this division? In those times it is our responsibility to lead that person closer to God. In those time we do not need to help them analyze their lives and focus on themselves; rather we need help that person get past themselves and lay their lives at the feet of Jesus Christ. There may be a time later on when we ask the question “did you make any stupid decisions that put you in this position?” but first we must turn our eyes to Christ and with his grace and comfort together struggle through the darkness.

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In the last year there was a big to do about some of Mother Theresa’s personal writings. It appears that there were long periods in her life when she doubted God and felt removed from his presence. Many people looked on these seasons of doubt as a negative. How could Mother Theresa doubt?

The truth is that all of us will experience dark periods when we feel removed from the presence of God. St John of the Cross called these times “the dark night of the soul.” When we experience our dark nights it is okay to tell God that you feel far away. It is okay to tell God that you are frustrated and angry. It is okay to feel separated from God. The dark night of the soul is a time to test our faith and help us grow.

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I love the middle school guys in my small group.  I can see their growth since the beginning of the year.  However, I still often leave frustrated that I couldn’t get them to pay better attention.  I don’t ask much from my  mostly 7th grade group, and I really do think that they are getting something out of  it, but  I get frustrated that they just can’t listen.  The  spend more time on  scatological humor than  on the lesson.  It’s frustrating.

But they are 7th graders.  I love them even when they are acting like 7th graders.

God,

Be with each of these guys this week as they go to school spend time with their families and friends.  Use the time we have together to be a springboard that launch them into a closer relationship with you.  Thank you for bringing them into my life and for all the things they teach me.  Give all of us hope in you as we move forward in life.

Thank you God, Amen.

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I am often amaze at what miserable comforters we can be.  I have seen people try to comfort widowers at funerals by saying “at least she’s in a better place.”  I have seen people go up to a mother who just suffered a miscarriage and say, “you’re young enough that you can always have another child,” or “God must have known that it was better this way.”  I have seen girls comfort their girlfriends after a big break-up with a guy by saying, “he’s not worth it.”  Those are terrible ways to comfort a person.

Let me share a secret.  If you ever want to comfort someone keep your mouth closed.  Hug them, put your arm around them, let them cry on you, cry with them, do their dishes, mow their yard, drop off food, wash their car, pay one of their bills, write them a poem, pray with them (preferably without talking).  Those are some of the ways to be a good comforter.

I know that you have never tried to comfort someone by calling them a fool as did Eliphaz.  But the next time God calls you to comfort someone take it a step further and demonstrate your comfort to them.   Comfort expressed through words is seldom remembered, comfort expressed through deeds is seldom forgotten.

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New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003. pp. XLII + 324. $4.95.

ISBN: 1-59308-000-X

Matthew Clendineng

Fairfield, Iowa

One of the cultural boundaries a 21^st century post-modern American has in understanding the world of Mark Twain is the embedded sense of spirituality. Christianity does not play a huge role in the foreground of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but it illuminates the background of the text in a way that can be hard for a contemporary post-Christian reader to understand. To live in a modern world of assumed Christian spirituality is a foreign experience for anyone born after 1964. Through this work of fiction a person can spend time in a very different world with different spiritual, ethical, and moral expectations.

From the very first chapter Huck is cast against the background of religion. Aunt Polly and Miss Watson work to teach Huck the Bible and we learn that even though Huck indicates that Hell sounds like more fun than heaven he is afraid of burning in Hell. Throughout most of the book, Huck’s motivation to act ethically is based on a fear of hell.

Through the character of Miss Watson, Twain attempts to show the hypocrisy of the educated, self-proclaimed religious, middle class. Miss Watson, while claiming to live by a Christian ethic is herself a slave owner. She felt that slavery was an acceptable practice because slaves were not considered eligible to have the same rights and privileges that her religion allowed others to enjoy. A circular logical loop if ever there was one. In this way Miss Watson is able to justify breaking up Jim’s family by selling away his wife and children.

The morality of Miss Watson seems to have been well impressed upon Huck. Toward the end of the book Huck is considered whether it is morally acceptable for him to help Jim escape to freedom. Huck has learned that stealing is a sin. This is moral progress for Huck since he started the book believing (as his father had taught him) that if you took something but intended to return it, it was only borrowing and therefore morally acceptable. Huck fears that aiding Jim’s escape will condemn him hell prompting the famous line, “All right, then, I’ll GO to Hell.” Twain used Huck as a vicious commentary against those who used religion to support slavery.

Twain further derides the religious establishment of his day through an incident with The King. The King, a con man, convinces a tent meeting to give him money so that he can convert his “pirate friends” to Christianity. Of course The King has no pirate friends to convert. Twain seems to be mocking the backwoods gullibility of the religious people in small town America. To this day many consider rural religion an acceptable thing to mock.

Throughout the book there is a consistent focus on the superstitious spirituality of the slave culture. Twain presents these superstitions as being more plausible then much of Christianity. Huck’s spilling of the salt is what seems to bring his father back to the cabin at an unexpected time. Huck’s breaking of a taboo results in Jim being bitten by a rattlesnake. The superstitious spirituality of the slave culture seems to be an odd mix of Christianity, Voodoo, and other legends. Twain seems to be using this spirituality to bring out the immaturity of Huck, Jim, Tom, and the other superstitions characters. It makes them seem quite childlike despite their more adult edges.

Huckleberry Finn lived in a Christian culture. The values, morals, and ethics of Christianity had a dramatic affect on the actions of our main character. That is not to say that Huck acted in, what we would term, a Christian manner. Rather, Huck attempted to live by Christianity as he understood it. In our day and age The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn can serve as a reminder that we need to teach our children, not the rules and regulations of Christianity, but the love and compassion of Christianity. Did fearing Hell serve Huck well in this story? No. If Huck had been instructed on the nature of Christ rather than the facts of Christianity he may have been better able to live out a moral existence.

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How often are we so busy preparing what we are about to say that we do not listen to what a person is saying? How often are we so sure of our own opinion that we fail to ask God what his opinion is? These are the mistakes that Zophar has made.

Job reacts with such hostility to Zophar (mockingly saying “you really know everything don’t you?”) because Zophar has completely ignored everything Job had to say. Job has just repeated his innocence twice, but Zophar has a predetermined idea of what is wrong in Job’s life and will not listen to what Job has to say.

When our friends come to us for help in times of darkness (or when we go to our suffering friends) we must go with open minds and Christ centered hearts. If we have already determined what is wrong with them, then we will not be able to listen to what they have to say. If we have already decided what they need to do to fix themselves, then we will not be able to listen to what God is saying. Do not be a Zophar and burden your already suffering friend. Instead truly listening with a loving heart and spend time with them asking God for direction as to where the two of you should go from there.

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Football

As my wife and I were watching the end of the Packer-Giants game, I really thought my wife’s team was going to pull it out.  We both knew that Tynes was going to miss the second field goal (great use of a time out by Mike McCarthy by the way).  Then as soon as the ball left Favre’s hand we knew it was short and inside and prime to be picked.  Any excitement in my house drained away.

I’m a little disappointed that the Packers aren’t going to the Super Bowl; I feel a little bad for my wife (although she doesn’t live and die by sports quite as much as I do).  However, it will be easier for me root for the Patriots now.  It’s not so much that I want the Patriots to win, but I truly respect the coaching job by Bill Belichick.

Basketball

Another week and another couple victories for my Jayhawks.  There are only three games left that I’m really worried about: at K-State, at Texas, and at Texas A&M.  You never want to overlook anyone in the Big XII but those are the three I worry about.  I does appear that the stars are aligning for a special season.  The conference tournament is in Kansas City and unless they implode they won’t have to play in California (I’m still a little bitter about having to play a lower seeded UCLA in SoCal).  The Omaha-Detroit-San Antonio road looks pretty good (although I think Houston is closer than Detroit).

Soccer

Landon Donovan (probably) became the leading US scorer in international play during the United States’ 2-0 win over Sweden.  We’ve still got a while before World Cup qualifying begins.  A while back there were some rumbles about making the World Cup every 3 years; I could get behind that idea.  Just over halfway in English Premier League and Tottenham Hotspur is thoroughly entrenched in the middle of the pack.  Another year of mediocrity.

Well that’s all i’ve got.  Have a great week.

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Job repeats his innocence and asks his friend how someone is supposed to prove they are innocent; what judge can a man take God before? Job then reiterates his plea to God to finish his period of testing and end his life. Job’s third friend Zophar then rebukes Job for thinking that Job could know the will of God. Zophar argues that if God brings trials into a persons life then, since God knows all, those trials must be deserved.

Jobs friends continue to insist that Job can cure the condition in which he finds himself; if Job would only repent of his sin then God would alleviate his suffering. Unfortunately, Job’s friends do not understand that God is not punishing Job. God allowed these events to come into Job’s life in order for Job to prove his faithfulness to God. The only proper response for Job to give is to turn to God and say, “I am miserable, take my misery. I am angry, take my anger. I am sorrowful, take my sorrow.” There is no one who can speak to Job’s condition accept God.

In the 1640’s George Fox was struggling in a similar manner to Job. He did not suffer the extreme loss of family that Job experienced, but Fox was trying to understand how God spoke to his sinful condition. He wrote in his journal:

But as I had forsaken the priests, so I left the Separate preachers also, and those called the most experienced people; for I saw there was none among them all that could speak to my condition. And when all my hopes in them and in all men were gone, so that I had nothing outwardly to help me, nor could I tell what to do; then, oh! then I heard a voice which said, ‘There is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy condition’: and when I heard it, my heart did leap for joy. …and this I knew experimentally. My desires after the Lord grew stronger, and zeal in the pure knowledge of God, and of Christ alone, without the help of any man, book, or writing. For though I read the Scriptures that spake of Christ and of God, yet I knew Him not, but by revelation, as He who hath the key did open, and as the Father of Life drew me to His Son by His Spirit. Then the Lord gently led me along, and let me see his love, which was endless and eternal, surpassing all knowledge that men have in the natural state, or can get by history or books; and that love let me see myself, as I was without Him. I was afraid of all company, for I saw them perfectly where they were, through the love of God, which let me see myself.

At the end of the day our friends know nothing and Christ knows everything. Jesus Christ is the only one that can deal with our misery, anger, and sorrow. If we are looking for relief from any other source we are fooling ourselves. I must lean on the forgiving, accepting, loving arms of Christ when I struggle through life.

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I have four critical concerns with the sermon. First, it was not Biblically based. The point of Psalm 139 is not the formation of a zygote, rather the author is declaring that there is nowhere he can go where God is not. God is with him in the day and in the night, in the past and in the future, before our birth and after our death. I believe that you can make a Biblical argument to oppose abortion. But throwing this one verse on the screen does not make that argument. I do not go to church to hear questionable statistics or video propaganda; I go to hear the revealed word of God.

Second, I do not believe that any woman sitting in that room who had previously had an abortion was brought closer to Jesus Christ by that sermon. At the conclusion of the sermon our pastor gave some cursory comment about his availability and that anyone in the congregation should be available if someone needs a loving ear. Unfortunately, by this point in the service the people who needed to hear this would already have tuned out.

Third, the sanctity of life does not end with birth. We need to care about war, poverty, discrimination, suicide, abuse, and a host of other sanctity of life issues. I was disappointed that Martin Luther King Jr. day was not mentioned once. This day honoring advancment in racial acceptance seems to go together perfectly with sanctity of life.

Finally, the congregation was not called to any action other than to feel smug that they agreed that abortion was bad. If we are going to speak out against abortion, then I believe we need to take physical actions to provide for those who would otherwise choose abortions. We need to provide support for the women who have had their child and either have given them up for adoption or are raising them. We need to provide support for the women who have had an abortion and are struggling with that decision. We need to provide support for the women who are considering abortion. We need to provide emotional, financial, psychological, and spiritual assistance. We need to share the love of Jesus Christ with those in need. If we are not doing this, then I do no believe we have the moral authority to speak to the issue of abortion.

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