So for those of you who keep up with this blog, you will know a few friends and I started reading through the bible chronologically. We got a bit into Genesis and then jumped over to Job. Well that was interesting…
(Warning: I’m sure you’re going to drastically change your opinion of me in a few short moments, but that’s okay.)
I like to read. Not a hardcore, I-have-my-nose-in-a-book-all-the-time type of reader, but one that loves a book, and sweatpants, Christmas lights (some might add coffee…not this girl) and a nice little lamp.
On the flip side…I hate surprises! Loathe them. I mean if I am 100% completely blindsided and didn’t see the surprise coming…sure surprise me! But if you tell me you got me something and then make me wait 3 weeks to see it, I battle with inner fits of rage!
When Kyle tells me he’s decided on what he’s getting me for my birthday or Christmas, I have to stop him there and ask him to please un-decide in an effort not to go crazy with wondering!
Surprises! Being in the dark on things! BLEH!
So when I’m reading a book and start getting curious about how it ends, I simply flip to the last few pages, read them and then go back to where I was.
(Jaws dropping and friends leaving. I know the looks…this isn’t my first time confessing this.)
All that to say.
I’ve finished Job last night. Chapter after chapter I just kept getting more confused and developing more questions and wondering at what point God was going to speak and break up all the chatter between Job and his thoroughly annoying friends (that went on and on and on for 34.5 chapters), I finally flipped to the last few chapters to remind myself that, yes, God does in fact show up and restore everything.
Let’s just say, there was lots of anguish. Lots of death. Lots of oozing sores. Lots of pointing fingers. Lots of questions. A little dumping sand on heads. (Don’t tell me the Old Testament is boring).
Then after all this pain and wretchedness, God finally answers! And the last two paragraphs consist of God restoring Job with twice as much as he had before. Gave him another slew of children, restored his fortune, and blessed him abundantly.
I’m not quite sure I understand what was happening (or why) through the meat of this book. I need some bible scholar to do a little Job-teaching sometime soon, but the last chapter simply reminds me that God doesn’t forget about us in our anguish. We may be wrestling with a lot of wretchedness, frustration, pain, confusion, but God restores. And God’s restoration…well it’s quite beautiful.