Job's friends kept telling him to blame God for all that he has suffered. Job keeps refusing to do so and I find this passage a beautiful description of God's work in the universe.
The last question sums up what our attitude should be toward God perfectly, even though it is a question we ask every day!
We may not "contend" with God, but we sure do question him!
We are always asking, "Why?"
We want to know why the bad guy wins, why there's so much suffering in the world, when will things get better?????
When I read the Book of Job, I understand why he is the model for the virtue of patience.
We question the God of all creation; the one who holds the universe in his hands; without whom we would cease to exist.
The miracle is that he does keep us in existence and loves us enough to have sent his Son to save us. He actually wants us to spend eternity with him.
I know that Job was very patient and never complained that he had been poorly treated by God. For his patience he was rewarded for his faithfulness and all that he had lost was returned to him and even more was given to him.
We are impatient and not always faithful and yet instead of depriving us of everything that is good, he rewards us with salvation.
No matter what we suffer in life; no matter what losses we have had, we will have eternal life in heaven with God.
We will be reunited with lost loved ones and that's all that really matters.
Things are just things and we won't need them when we are in the presence of pure love and joy.
We need to pray:
