During uncertain times like this, it is natural that many of us cam be overcome by fear. The truth to remember is that Jesus is not only “God with us” or Immanuel only at Christmastime, but throughout the whole year. This means God’s very presence through the Holy Spirit goes with us, comforting us, guiding us, walking alongside us in both our best and worst moments of life. 

This Scriptural truth is important to ground us firmly as we continue to travel through the Bible and reach the book of Job. Job was a righteous man, yet disaster came upon him in the form of his children dying, his wealth vanishing, and his health failing. The entire rest of the book he and his three “friends” wrestle back and forth with the “why” behind Job’s struggle. Has he sinned? Surely God must be punishing him? Job maintains innocence. What Job truly desires is what we all desire when life knocks us to the ground for no reason…answers. Why has this happened to us? Have we done something wrong? 

Job does finally receive an answer at the end of the book, as well as a happy ending. However, the answer wasn’t what he was expecting. Instead, God presents a resume of all His creation and then in doing so, is asking Job, “if I can handle and govern and rightly rule and guide all of this, can I not care for you as well?” 

Interestingly enough, another way to view Job in light of the whole Bible is to look a bit further in God’s story. What Job wanted is for God to put Himself “on the dock” or but subject to human questioning. In other words, Job wanted God not to hide behind His mighty power, but to lower Himself. In Jesus Christ, God did exactly that. If Job could travel forward in time, he might have gotten jealous of Pilate because Pilate did exactly that: questioned God Himself and found nothing wrong with Him. Still, this God was willing to suffer the consequences of what He did not do so that we would not have to suffer the consequences of what we did do. 

Do not be afraid to struggle in your walk with God. I know I do. Do not be afraid to question and even to doubt, yet when do you, press in hard to find the answers. Job wrestled with God as was finally vindicated, given back double what he had lost. God is also with you through your struggles, and He is more that capable of taking care of you, even in your worst of pain. Jesus Christ teaches us that God is both with us in our struggles and has the power to bring us through them. 

Your Brother,

Craig