Thinking rightly about sin and suffering
Lessons from Job
(The image of Job for this writing is a photograph I took of a friend.)
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Since the future is uncertain, we must always be armed with the knowledge of His word. In His truth, we find rest, because we are always ready, and, with it, we recognize false teaching that could otherwise:

• weaken our defense,
• take away our assurance of our standing in grace, and
• make us the enemy’s prey.

I discovered lessons in the book of Job that will arm us. This gorgeous poetry speaks to the connection between suffering, sin, and God’s justice. It is another masterpiece of Scripture from the ancient world! Job holds many lessons, but I will give just a few that expose a certain, present-day, false teaching.

First, I’ll share: 1) a brief summary of the book to see the context, 2) a present-day false teaching,
3) lessons that expose the false teaching, 4) and final thoughts.

Instruction at Breakfast
A Reassurance of His Personal Love
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After Yeshua’s resurrection, on the same day, He appeared to His disciples while they were gathered in a closed room in Jerusalem. There He breathed the Holy Spirit on them (John 20:22). Thomas was not there; he had refused to believe unless he could see and touch the scars in His Master’s hands, feet and side. Eight days later, Thomas was in the room when Yeshua appeared to them again. Yeshua spoke directly to the weakest in faith, asking Thomas to touch His wounds, as if Thomas was the only person in the room. (See also Luke 24:33-53; John 20:19-29)

After that first week, some of the disciples must have travelled the long journey home to Capernaum in the new strength of the Holy Spirit. There, He appeared to them a third time on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, this time to address the personal need of Peter and to strengthen the others that were there.

Rewards?
He Remembers
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When I was little, I was a Camp Fire Girl. We would earn varied-colored, wooden beads for successfully completing tasks like community service, self-improvement, and learning. The brown, log-shaped beads represented outdoor accomplishments, and the orange, cylindrical beads were given for domestic endeavors. There were red beads for health, blue beads for nature learning, and green beads for handiwork and crafts. Each spring, our leader conducted a ceremony around a campfire where she passed out plastic eggs filled with the beads we had earned. The girls would string the beads and loop them around their necks. Sometimes, when I didn’t earn many beads, I compared myself to others and felt inadequate and behind in the race. Have you ever felt like that?