Oct.24 – “Living Beyond our Circumstance”

October 24, 2009

How many times have you heard or been told to “act, not react!”  What does that mean, exactly?  So much of our life is spent in reaction.  We touch a hot stove – we pull back.  Someone cuts us off in traffic, we get mad.  Someone tells a joke, we laugh!  Obviously not all ‘reaction’ is bad.  Its just a real observable phenomenon that we tend to be…well…reactors.

Today’s readings take us to the book of Job, one of the more famous biblical figures.  In Job 1-2, we see the setting of the stage for one of the great tests of all time.  It almost seems like a cosmic game of chess, except the players are God and Satan, and the pieces are people.  I often wonder what it would have been like to have been in the room when that conversation took place, with the angels in attendance.  At least we have part of the transcript.  God asks Satan, “where have YOU been?” and gets in response, “roaming around”.  Of course, I’m editing a little.  God asks him if he’s seen his servant, Job.  He asks Satan to ‘consider’ him.  To really think about him and how he is.  Blameless, God tells  us!  A solid guy!  Of course, he is, Satan says.  He’s got all the blessings!  He’s living the life!  He’s just righteous because he has no reason to complain!

Which brings me to the “reaction” point.  In ch.1 and 2 we see God remove blessing from Job; first his family, his stuff and even his good health.  All he has is his life, which given he’s sick and covered in boils, probably isn’t TOO fun.  How does he react?  Read Job 1:20-22.

Perspective is hard.  Seeing the big picture requires us to know what is true sometimes DESPITE what seems go be happening around us.  How many times has our love for God or others been directed by what we feel or how we unthinkingly react based on our initial reading of a situation?  I have to think that Job and his rock solid character delivered his response based not on his situation, but despite it.  Based on what He knew of God to be true.

This week, you could make a list of things that happen, good and bad, and decide based on that list if God is worthy of praise and worth following.  Or you can determine beforehand who God is, and act that way, instead of reacting.

So, are you a list maker or not?  (If you find you’re a list maker, then your response will look a lot like Job 2:7-9!)

coram deo

rob