“He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. – Job 36:16

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 15, 2012): Job 36

Sometimes we struggle with the idea that God desires us. I think most people are more expectant of lightning bolts than they are of the love of God. It is maybe the most common response that I get from people outside of the church. They are afraid that God will “get them.” And their fear is due to a change in the way we see God that probably happened about 300 years into church history. It was at about that time that the church finally received the power that they had lacked up until that time. Without a source of power, their way of showing Christ to the world was to love the world. But after they received the power, then they were able to bluster and threaten – and the “God will get you” response was born.

But there is a difference between being desired by God and being spoiled by God. The Bible is clear, God disciplines those he loves. Elihu would have us believe something different. For Elihu, God’s love for us results in an easy life. His argument continues that which has already been argued by Job’s other friends. God’s love would prohibit the action that God was taking against Job, unless Job had done something really wrong.

The best lies always have a measure of truth to them. Elihu is right, God does desire you. But he is wrong in thinking that just because Job was going through a tough time that God had stopped loving and desiring him. Sometimes things just happen. And sometimes God allows things into our lives because he knows we need the experience. The trouble that Job was going trough was shaping him. The truth is that going forward Job would be less prideful and more willing to support others that had to go through similar experiences. He was in the process of becoming a wounded healer. And that was exactly what God needed him to be.

If things are tough in your life – it might be that God is shaping you because he needs you to be able to understand suffering, and to be willing to comfort others that are going through tough times. I am convinced that we are all, in some way, wounded healers. All of the hurt in your life really does have a purpose. And there is someone around you that needs your understanding – because the hurt has arrived on their doorstep. And they need to know that God still loves – and desires – them.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Job 37


Note: The VantaagePoint Community Church sermon - "The Price of Following - The Body of Christ" is now available on the VantagePoint Website. You can find it here - http://www.vantagepointcc.org/The_Price_of_Following___The_Body_of_Christ.htm