August 30

Job 34:1-36:33; 2 Corinthians 4:1-12; Psalm 44:1-8; Proverbs 22:10-12

There's a rigidity to the God Elihu describes, a narrowness that says "God must do this; God must be like that."  He seems to forget that he cannot understand or comprehend God.  God is so completely other, so totally mysterious, but Elihu implies that to himself, God is neither so other nor so mysterious.  There's an arrogance to his speech: "One perfect in knowledge is with you" (Job 36:4).

Yet portions of his speech are so beautiful.  Consider this name of God: "God my Maker, who gives songs in the night" (Job 35:10).  Isn't that sheer poetry?  Think of the times when you've sung songs in the night: birthday parties, a church worship service, lullabies at a midnight feeding.  It is only from celebration, from contentedness and deep joy that songs are sung in the night.  And such celebration, such contentment, such joy come only from God.

Consider, too, the invitation that Elihu ascribes to God.  "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).  There are echoes and foreshadowings here from the book of Psalms, from Revelation's Marriage Supper of the Lamb.  What a vivid - and accurate! - description of the "jaws of distress," and how beautiful that God woos us from such dark places and into freedom and life.  I wish so much (indeed, I prayed this very idea today) for those in darkness around me to respond to God's wooing and to find the "spacious place free from restriction," with its joy and celebration.

There are beautiful words in our New Testament reading, too.  Read them as encouragement and hope: "[You] are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed" (2 Cor. 4:8-9).  You may feel hard pressed, but the Lord has promised that you will not be crushed.  You may feel perplexed, but you need not despair.  You may be persecuted, but the Lord has not abandoned you.  You may even be struck down, but you cannot be destroyed.  This is good news!

"Life is at work in you" and in me (2 Cor. 4:12), dear friends.  Praise the Lord!

- Sarah Marsh

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