Reflecting on the the twelfth Sunday in ordinary time (part 2).

Where we have come from  (readings for Sunday Jun 23):

Isaiah 65.1-9

Psalm 22.19-28

Galatians 3.23-29

Luke 8.26-39

Readings for today, Tuesday Jun 25

Psalm 64

Job 19.1-22

Ephesians 2.11-22

Brief thoughts for today

Job replies to Bildad's platitudes (see yesterday's post) by beginning with a searching critique of the motives of his 'comforter,' and then proceeding with his description of his lot and his current view of God and his circumstances. The reading for today does not included the whole speech - perhaps so that we do not immediately focus on verse 25 - but I suspect that it is a good thing to read to the end of the chapter to take in Job's anger at his friends, his perception that God is unjust and 

his desire to encounter God face to face. It would seem to me that Job's central accusation at his former friend is that they presume to think that they are self evidently better people than Job because of his suffering. I am left unsure as to whether Job thinks that he has no sin and therefore God is being altogether unfair in making his life at all rocky, or whether he has not done anything to deserve such an onslaught as he experiences.

We can certainly say that Job has faith, faith enough to rail against God, and faith enough to hope that in the end all will be clear. As the book unfolds he in fact receives a different kind of clarity. The drama of Job is set before the coming of Christ, but I think it is reasonable to say that in his intimacy with God he anticipates the relationship with God that we have in Christ Jesus. 

Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission