Third Sunday after Creation (OTA)

Job 2:1-10

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. ² And the Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” ³ And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” ⁴ Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. ⁵ But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” ⁶ And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.” 

⁷ So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. ⁸ And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. 

⁹ Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” ¹⁰ But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. 

It is interesting for me to think of God uses Satan to test his people. The Theology of the cross reminds us that a Christians life is full of suffering. So here the time of Job's suffering is just beginning. He will suffer greatly throughout this text. But nevertheless he will not follow his wife's request to "curse God and die."

Often in times of suffering our first reaction is to ask God why he allowed this to happen. I would argue are first reaction should be to turn to the cross and remind ourselves why that happened. Christ suffered and died in your place and for your sins. He took on the suffering of the cross for you. And now he calls you to suffer with him.

So should we not listen to the words of Job's wife? Job's wife is trying to find the quick fix. She is telling Job exactly how he can end the suffering quickly. Yet Job decides it is better to be faithful. He reminds us that would should take the good with the bad. We should enjoy the gracious gift Jesus Christ has given to us, and live with suffering to point us to our everlasting hope, which is the removal of all suffering.