One day, out of the blue, three women of the church Randy was pastoring at the time, came to him with a written list of grievances. The accusations were not against Randy and the ministry of the church but against our daughter-in-law who was trying to fit in and be a part of our growing church.  She was new to church ministry, especially new to the attention she received because her father-in-law was the pastor; so she readily enjoyed the company of these women who she thought were her friends.  She shared her life and love with them.  But they took her words and twisted them into slander and set her up for a great fall.  Our son and his wife were devastated to hear the words against them.  Randy was angry at the church ladies and hurt deeply for our family affected by the “record-keeping of sins” against our beloved daughter-in-law.  But, he chose to respond with the teachings of Jesus and the words of Paul to the church using 1 Corinthians 13. 

Our first thought was this; even if all they said were true, (which it was not). was it their God-given call to be judge, jury and executioner of a young women trying to find her way as a new servant of God?

Oh church, this not how Jesus taught us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”  (Matthew 28:20) Jesus taught by example and demonstrate the love of God throughout the gospels as he bent low, gave a compassionate hand to the fallen, and lifted them up with the encouraging good news of God who longs for us to walk humbly with Him! 

Bildad is coming down hard on Job for a second time with even more urgency in his words as he seeks to change Job’s mind with his judgements. Again, Job’s comeback uses a three-letter word that changes everything—yet!  Job’s love for God is unchanging. Job’s hope and trust is in God alone.  “Yet, will I trust Him” was said adamantly to his friends earlier in their discussions over his sins. With the heat turned up a notch by Bildad, Job now proclaims with confidence to his friend and anyone else in earshot;

“I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;
I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”

It is these words right here that bring tears to my eyes when one of our own is wrongly accused, judged to be unworthy, and beaten down by the church instead of bringing encouragement while reflecting the Light and Love of Jesus. When our judgement replaces teaching who Christ is and how He lived as an example to us; we have lost our first love to BE the church whom God has called us to be.

What Job is going through becomes personal to all who believe, work hard to please God as they learn to serve like Him, but are harshly brought low when we do not always please church people.  Be like Job—yet, will I trust God!  Remember, it is not the church who saves us but God alone through Jesus Christ, His Son!  Like Job, know that your Redeemer lives and be persuaded that He is able to be with us always through all kinds of troubles and trials on earth until we meet Him face to face in the skies!

There is no perfect church with perfect friends; only a Perfect God who not only sees and knows our story but has provided a Way for His Glory and Truth to be seen!  Jesus is the Way, Truth, and Life forever and ever, Amen! It is God who does His glorious work in us as we become more like Him—a lifelong process! 

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, yes ALL of us!  NO ONE can boast of their perfect ways. NO ONE can boastfully judge others of their ways, either. Read the rest of this Truth expressed by Paul to the church then and now:

“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded.” Romans 3:22-27 (Read the whole chapter!)

Job 18

Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

² “When will you end these speeches?
    Be sensible, and then we can talk.
³ Why are we regarded as cattle
    and considered stupid in your sight?
⁴ You who tear yourself to pieces in your anger,
    is the earth to be abandoned for your sake?
    Or must the rocks be moved from their place?

⁵ “The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out;
    the flame of his fire stops burning.
⁶ The light in his tent becomes dark;
    the lamp beside him goes out.
⁷ The vigor of his step is weakened;
    his own schemes throw him down.
⁸ His feet thrust him into a net;
    he wanders into its mesh.
⁹ A trap seizes him by the heel;
    a snare holds him fast.
¹⁰ A noose is hidden for him on the ground;
    a trap lies in his path.
¹¹ Terrors startle him on every side
    and dog his every step.

¹² Calamity is hungry for him;
    disaster is ready for him when he falls.
¹³ It eats away parts of his skin;
    death’s firstborn devours his limbs.
¹⁴ He is torn from the security of his tent
    and marched off to the king of terrors.
¹⁵ Fire resides in his tent;
    burning sulfur is scattered over his dwelling.
¹⁶ His roots dry up below
    and his branches wither above.
¹⁷ The memory of him perishes from the earth;
    he has no name in the land.
¹⁸ He is driven from light into the realm of darkness
    and is banished from the world.
¹⁹ He has no offspring or descendants among his people,
    no survivor where once he lived.
²⁰ People of the west are appalled at his fate;
    those of the east are seized with horror.
²¹ Surely such is the dwelling of an evil man;
    such is the place of one who does not know God.”

Job 19

Then Job replied:

² “How long will you torment me
    and crush me with words?
³ Ten times now you have reproached me;
    shamelessly you attack me.
⁴ If it is true that I have gone astray,
    my error remains my concern alone.
⁵ If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me
    and use my humiliation against me,
⁶ then know that God has wronged me
    and drawn his net around me.

⁷ “Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;
    though I call for help, there is no justice.
⁸ He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;
    he has shrouded my paths in darkness.
⁹ He has stripped me of my honor
    and removed the crown from my head.
¹⁰ He tears me down on every side till I am gone;
    he uproots my hope like a tree.
¹¹ His anger burns against me;
    he counts me among his enemies.
¹² His troops advance in force;
    they build a siege ramp against me
    and encamp around my tent.

¹³ “He has alienated my family from me;
    my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
¹⁴ My relatives have gone away;
    my closest friends have forgotten me.
¹⁵ My guests and my female servants count me a foreigner;
    they look on me as on a stranger.
¹⁶ I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
    though I beg him with my own mouth.
¹⁷ My breath is offensive to my wife;
    I am loathsome to my own family.
¹⁸ Even the little boys scorn me;
    when I appear, they ridicule me.
¹⁹ All my intimate friends detest me;
    those I love have turned against me.
²⁰ I am nothing but skin and bones;
    I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.

²¹ “Have pity on me, my friends, have pity,
    for the hand of God has struck me.
²² Why do you pursue me as God does?
    Will you never get enough of my flesh?

²³ “Oh, that my words were recorded,
    that they were written on a scroll,
²⁴ that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead,
    or engraved in rock forever!
²⁵ I know that my redeemer lives,
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
²⁶ And after my skin has been destroyed,    yet in my flesh I will see God;
²⁷ I myself will see him
    with my own eyes—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns within me!

²⁸ “If you say, ‘How we will hound him,
    since the root of the trouble lies in him,’
²⁹ you should fear the sword yourselves;
    for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,
    and then you will know that there is judgment.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?  It’s personal…buckle up!

To what extent do we truly know that our Redeemer lives? 

Do we really believe all that God is saying in His Word to be really real?

Is our suffering overwhelming us and blinding us to see the joy through it all?

Are we just wandering around in our thoughts each day, aimlessly doing the work in front of us that demands our attention, just to pay the bills?

Have we asked God for His plan with His wisdom to live it? 

Have we embraced God’s plan with His power working in us to complete it?

Have we embraced His grace? Have we surrender our will for His will in all the details of our lives?

Life doesn’t make much sense this side of eternity. Pain and suffering are inescapable. Like Job, however, we can have faith that our Redeemer lives and we will one day see him face-to-face.  Believe in our God who is for all, in all, and over all He has created.  Believe that God has a glorious plan for all who decide to surrender. Embrace His love, mercy, and grace which includes our personally unique plan designed by the Creator.  Surrender to God through Jesus is the key that opens His glorious treasures.  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Lord,

I surrender all. All to You, by blessed Savior, I surrender all.

In Jesus Name, Amen