Blog Response: Thoughts on Job

In response to a recent blog about struggling through Job, I wanted to share my thoughts on the story of Job. After seeking some guidance, I was given this input on a theological perspective of Job:

Most people think Job is the oldest book in the Bible. The literary style reads less like history and more like a parable. Be careful in a parable of making it an allegory. It generally has one teaching point. Don't draw conclusions about God's character based on the set-up to the narrative. Think of it like the parable of the prodigal son... the description of the scenario and character of the father shouldn't be picked apart like allegory.

I personally find this believable and a way to read Job and let it speak into my life. My personal belief is that outside of divine revelations and the unknowable, the author of the story of Job has no real way of knowing how the conversation between God and the Devil occurred. 

But let me also offer an additional perspective. What if the author did? What if God did have that exact conversation with the Devil? We tend to look at the story of Job and as usually in life focus on the superficial, the tangible happenings in the story. We see the story and we jump to the "Why does God allow bad things to happen" questions, and this is quite tragic. 

What happens to Job is tragic. The interactions of Job and his friends offer insight on practical relationships. 

But many times what we miss is the raw emotional fury of two beings that love one another.

Job is hurt. God broke his heart. The one he loves the one who he has not blasphemed has allowed these things to happen to him. 

Job hangs his relationship to God on the tangible things of his life. 

God in return gets upset with Job. God is hurt. Job broke his heart. 

God hangs his relationship to Job on a deep unfathomable eternal love. A love that transcends all circumstance, situations, status, and existence. 

Job cries out to God in confusion and anger. God answers. 

Job covers his mouth and listens.

As I have read the story of Job, I've wondered, has God broken my heart? Has he mattered that much to me that I am torn by his absence?

I'd like to end with a quote from CS Lewis on love, think on this in the context of Job and God. In the context of you and God.

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”