What’s the point of life when it doesn’t make sense, when God blocks all the roads to meaning?
Job 3:23 MSG – YouVersion.com: Online Bible.
And there’s the question. “What is the point of life when it doesn’t make sense, when God blocks all the roads to meaning?” This is what Job asks in the third chapter, after losing pretty much everything he had.
Though I’ve heard the story many times, I’m eager to read through, in context, the rest of this book on faith and why bad things happen to good people. In fairness, though, bad things happen to everyone, both good and bad. I think it’s easier for us to feel ok about when something bad happens to a murderer, or a rapist, or someone who is clearly “deserving” of the worst fate. And in conjunction with that thought, it’s definitely hard to believe that a good God would allow such tragedy to befall someone like Job, who by all accounts is God’s number one, best man. But I wonder, why do we also not question the good that happens to those of us who consider ourselves good? Why aren’t we questioning the point of life when all is going perfectly well for us? Should we be?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic and I plan to post more over the coming days as I continue to read through the book of Job. I’ve committed to reading the Bible through, this year. I’ve never done it, I’m ashamed to say, and as I get older, and I realize that life doesn’t get any easier, I think a year of renewal and dedication to meditating on God’s word will do me some good. My prayer is for God to use his word to speak to my soul and mold my mind and spirit into who He wants me to be.
Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Romans 12:2 MSG – YouVersion.com: Online Bible
If you’ve never read the Bible, much less, read it in its entirety, I invite you to join me this year in a quest for truth and transformation. Please comment, question, agree, or disagree. I welcome all discussion. I’m following a plan that lays out the reading in chronological order. I also joined the group on YouVersion.com that is reading this chronological plan. You can, too, by following the steps here.
Kevin Gilbert
I like the depth in this question. 2nd – do you believe every bit of translation?
Hope your holidays were great and thanks for reading. When you say "every bit of translation", what are you meaning, exactly, Chris? Are you referring to various translations of the Bible? Or, are you asking if I believe everything in the Bible as literal? Or am I misunderstanding your question altogether?
I believe the meaning is our faith. I think that was God's point through out the the book of Job. If you look a little deep you can see that Job wasn't necessarily questioning God as much as he was embaressed by his faith being put to the test and not living up to the challenge. The point of life can and always will be argued, the question we should ask ourselves is what is our purpose for the moment. Trake a moment to look around and I promise you'll be able to find something that God could use you for. Great Topic Kevin, I will catch up with the book of Job to hopefully continue this.
I have now absorbed your text and the content there of…you are on a sojourney – pilgramages? Assembly? Solo ,like JOB himself? Want to exchange theories about JOB 1 – 3? Is most of your knowlege self study, experience, church?