I am reading Job at the moment and plan to preach on it later in the year. My interest in it came partly from discovering my late Dad’s annotations through his bible. He was suffering early onset dementia. He hadn’t been one to mark his bible but many passages in Job were underlined and there are notes in the margin. I’m sure he’d read the book many times but as his disease progressed Job’s questions became his, and Job’s trusting of himself to God was also his.

Job is a big book - 42 chapters. The book can’t be reduced to a 5 point powerpoint presentation or a 200 word blog post. The arguments go back and forth about Job’s suffering, God’s role in it, and what kind of God Job is dealing. At times you’re not sure whether to side with Job or his comforters.

Here is an intense 42 chapter poetic wrestle with faith in the face of suffering. I feel out of my depth with Job - I’m not used to reading poetry. I want to bludgeon the meaning out of it, rather than let it move me.

I think we need to take time to read and meditate and avoid the temptation for the fast answer. That is important for the believer - to strengthen and ecourage them in genuine Christian faith. This is not just a book for those undergoing extreme suffering but also in some ways about the normal Christian life. It is also important for the outsider who may be present and listening . Nothing could be worse than to give a trite and superficial treatment of such an important topic that God speaks to at such length.

Job also foreshadows Jesus as the innocent one who proves faithful in the worst possible suffering.

As I read Job, I’m also re-reading the mission field here. Suddenly I am seeing new ways that the word of God is speaking to the world around us. Here are real answers to profound questions. Here also, is silence and humility when we reach the limits of human wisdom and knowledge.