The 'Rubbish' in Job

Hi y'all.

So after a much needed holiday I'm back and catching up on the readings!

Here are a few snippets for thought from Job.

Job 1v12 'So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord'

WOW!  How phenomenal is this; even Satan is able to be in the presence of God.  So often we can do things wrong and feel so unworthy of the presence of God.  We are often too scared to enter and face up to God.  But even Satan is allowed in His presence - how much more are we allowed to be through the saving grace of Jesus and through God's love.  Awesome!  God is big enough to handle even Satan - He is definitely big enough to handle us!

Job 1v20 'At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship'

So Job has just has cattle destroyed which was most probably his livelihood, and his family have been killed.  Quite a lot to handle for anyone.  I'm not sure I could handle this!  Yet Job still falls to the ground and worships!  What an awesome picture!  

Let me unpack this however.  So Job still tears his clothes and shaves his head - most probably a sign of mourning and defeat.  His immediate reaction is not to worship.  God understands.  Whilst in an ideal world, I would love to turn to God first in my troubles, I don't I look for vices and ways of coping.  Just like Job has.  It's ok.  God understands.  I hope one day I will turn to Him first.

Secondly Job falls to the ground.  He is unable to stand through the pressure of everything he has just heard.  I sincerely doubt that he is falling down on his knees to revere his Lord first and foremost.  He probably has no strength for that and no strength to stand.  I imagine his falling being more of a desperate collapse, but also of surrender saying 'Lord, I need You, You are all I have, be lifted up, I trust You and I am falling onto You to lift me up'.  Sometimes when things go wrong, all we can do is fall on to the Lord.  It's ok.  Do it. God is strong enough to hold you. 

And then Job pours out his heart (chapter 2).

How often do we bottle everything up?  How often do we put a mask on and pretend everything is ok?  How often do we hide our troubles and carry on as if nothing is wrong?  How often do we deceive ourselves by not admitting hardship.  Struggles are not failure.  Hardship is not defeat - just an opportunity for God to work!  Tell Him.  Tell God you are feeling rubbish!  Tell God you hate the way things have turned out!  Tell God you are not happy!  Tell God your anger!  Shout at God!  Tell Him what is wrong and how annoyed and frustrated you are!  God is big enough, strong enough, compassionate enough and loving enough to hear and understand.  Don't condense God to only being available in the good times.  I don't know about you, but it is in the bad times that I need God most.  And He has always been faithful to me, always been strong, always seen me through, never told me off for complaining without reason, never told me to stop shouting.  He is patient, kind, loving, compassionate, caring....


So back to the title - the 'rubbish' in Job and his dealings with it are not always too dissimilar to the 'rubbish' and hardships we experience.  Hopefully this will help you to have a fresh look on things and still end up 'worshipping the Lord'.