Job has reached his limit, how do we respond when things go wrong for us? How do we accompany others in hard days? The struggle in dark days in present in every age, how do express our pain and grief in the face of hardship? It is important to come together and give room to those expressions of hurt, even when the solutions are not always easy or apparent.
Worship this week:
Saturday – 5:00 p.m. in the chapel
Sunday – 8:30 a.m. Traditional worship
10:00 a.m. Contemporary Worship
11:00 a.m. Potluck picnic at the church – all invited!
Devotions for this week:
Job Curses His Life July 10, 2016
SHARE: What was a high point of your day? What was a low point?
READ: Read the following daily readings to deepen your understanding:
Sunday, Job 3:1-10; 4:1-9; 7:11-21, Job Curses His Life
Monday, Job 8, Bildad Speaks
Tuesday, Job 9-10, Job Replies
Wednesday, Job 11, Zophar Speaks
Thursday, Job 12, Job Replies
Friday, Job 13, Job Replies
Saturday, Job 14, Job’s Prayer
TALK: Consider some of these ideas:
Job said: “Let the day perish in which I was born, and the night that said, ‘A man-child is conceived. Let that day be darkness! May God above not seek it, or light shine on it.’” Job 3:2-4
After losing not only his property and his children, Job loses his health. He has reached his breaking point. In his suffering he curses his life, yet still he refuses to curse the Creator who gave him life.
- How do Job’s friends explain the question of suffering?
- What do you think is an appropriate way to communicate with God? Is it ok to be angry? Is it ok to curse one’s life in prayer? Why or why not?
- Tell a story of a time you were angry with God or angry with a situation in your life.
- Make two lists. On one list write all the things about your life that cause you pain or suffering. On the other list write all the things about your life that cause you joy or peace. Add to your list all week. At the end of the week surrender the things of suffering to God. Consider how your perspective might be shifted so that the list of joyful things becomes more prominent in your mind.
PRAY: Lord, you listen to our every grief with patience and love. Give us confidence to approach you, knowing that you will never turn us away, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.
BLESS: May God hear your laments and respond with love. Amen.
