Tag: Brokenness

Posted on

The dilemma of suffering.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Why do the wicked prosper, growing old and powerful? They live to see their children grow up and settle down, and they enjoy their grandchildren. Their homes are safe from every fear, and God does not punish them.” ‭‭Job‬ ‭21‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Even with all that had happened to Job – immense loss and excruciating physical anomalies, he somehow held onto his quick wit. This chapter opens with Job wanting to talk to his friends, getting a word in edgewise, because when we are not in pain ourselves, we are just full of unhelpful opinions! Job tells his “comforters,” LISTEN TO ME. It’s the least you can do, “Listen closely to what I am saying. That’s one consolation you can give me. Bear with me, and let me speak. After I have spoken, you may resume mocking me.” ‭‭Job‬ ‭21‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ 🤣🤣🤣.

Job asks the question we all want the answer to, but God will not give it!

WHY?

Sure… why suffering?

But it’s far more than that. Because we are completely and obsessively comparative to others, we want to know about the sense of inequity, the fairness of it all.

Why ME, as opposed to why YOU?

I’ll just say it, “you’ve got to be worse than me, come on admit it!”

Ok, ok, ok – clearly I know I’m not perfect, but there has got to be someone worse than me out there. God… go bless them with suffering.

Job asks a fair, reasonable question, given the limited perspective we have about EVERYTHING. Why do the wicked prosper? Job lists all the incongruities and inconsistencies about suffering. Their livestock breed like rabbits, the kids hop about without a care in the world. They skip, dance and sing with innocent abandonment. Isn’t wealth supposed to be a curse? Aren’t they supposed to be miserable in their miser ways? (I added those last two). The wicked mock God and declare their independence from Him in every way. Plus, they truly believe they made all of it happen by themselves!

Job vomits out his frustration with unfiltered angst. “One person dies in prosperity, completely comfortable and secure, the picture of good health, vigorous and fit. Another person dies in bitter poverty, never having tasted the good life. But both are buried in the same dust, both eaten by the same maggots.” Job‬ ‭21‬:‭23‬-‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Job ends this chapter with a clap-back, “Thanks buds, I appreciate all your advice coming from seats of safety.” He writes, “How can your empty clichés comfort me? All your explanations are lies!” ‭‭Job‬ ‭21‬:‭34‬.

Wow! Job describes his (and our) dilemma but laying out the only thing he can figure out – you’ll find no justice in suffering! In fact, from our angle, our view, our experiences, we only see senselessness. If we think we can find the answer to the disparity of suffering in Job, we will be sorely disappointed. Suffering exists because of our own sin, which results in brokenness. But about the equal distribution of suffering? We just do not know. Only God knows. What we do know and can trust about God knowing all things: He is always right, true and just. Everything – EVERYTHING – He has done, does today and will do tomorrow is forever PERFECT. So we can try to pass the quiz God gave Job in chapters 38 & 39, which I guarantee you will fail. Or, we can have faith and trust the creator of all things, who does all things well. Simple, right?

Prayer

​Dad,
Whew. Every once in a while I get it in my head that I want to know things! Or, even funnier, that I want to control things. My thirst for knowledge of things and my curiosities feel so arrogant and foolish when I read Job. Job’s story helps me not only to be self aware in my lack of wisdom and understanding. It also helps me self correct my thoughts and opinions when going through suffering or being a good friend to someone who is going through suffering. You are so good God! I see it in the ancient text. I feel it in my spirit. Your love and mercy, your justice and goodness are more appreciated and apparent when suffering comes into my view. Thank You!

Posted on

The Sordid Past of Jesus’ lineage.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

”All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.“ ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The disciple, journalist and author, Matthew, is extremely detailed in his historical and genealogical record of Jesus. Even though we plow through a long list of names, there is a story behind each one of them.

Notably, Matthew listed the names of five women – an unheard of move at the time. And in those five women, we have pictures of either their sinful past or their horrific, unjust circumstances. Tamar disguised herself as a religious prostitute and tricked her father-in-law Judah into getting her pregnant. Rahab was a prostitute and a Gentile. Ruth was a Moabite, again a foreigner, forbidden to marry for a Jewish male. Bathsheba, she is the woman King David raped, forcing an adulterous relationship with her and murdering her husband, Uriah, one of David’s previous “mighty men” crew. Then, of course, Mary herself, who was “found to be pregnant,” and Joseph wasn’t the father of the child! This is just some of Jesus’ “mom’s” story.

The men, through Jesus’ foster dad, Joseph, didn’t fair much better. In the list of Israel’s great kings, more than half were wicked leaders! Six were good kings, great men. However eight were awful! One of those worst kings, Rehoboam, listened to his young friends’ advice and it split the twelve tribes into two factions – Judah (10 tribes) and Israel (2 tribes).

In a sermon series called, “Coming Home,” I ask a couple of questions, “Why didn’t Jesus’ heritage come from a long and consistent line of righteousness, upstanding men, and women?” and “How does knowing that Jesus came from a sordid past give hope to those with imperfect families or pasts?” I really wrestled with some difficult questions in Jesus’ birth story. Why did God CHOOSE to do it this way? We’ve glamorized the Christmas Story in so many ways and I agree it’s a cute, wonderfully fuzzy tale to tell. The truth is much darker, mysterious and definitely not safe for young children – and apparently not safe for the church either!

It’s because in ALL THINGS, Jesus was human says, Hebrews 4:15. That included a some seedy family struggles that were not hidden in history, but openly listed to give us hope! If you have come from an imperfect family story, this should give YOU hope. Quit comparing yourself to the false narrative that church families have it all together and have some kind of holy, supernatural perfection in their family story. The only miracle we ALL share is that God’s grace is enough to change and redeem a broken family story and make it brand new!

Prayer

Dad,
You can and do make all things new! Even years of horrible family origin stories filled with pain, shame and struggle. But that’s why every one of the broken people, listed in Jesus’ genealogy were highlighted. In the darkest of situations, you shine bright with full disclosure and grace. Our stories, even filled with shame, should not be hidden, but should be told in light of your grace. It is not what we’ve done in sin, but what you have done in redemption! Let Your story eclipse ours, bringing light to shadows and our dark history. Thank you for your grace, mercy and enormous light that dispels darkness.