Sermon 7, Job 1:20-22
- Patience and our response to events.
- Attribution.
- Reason.
This sermon is about patience. Calvin describes Job’s response to the four tragedies. He displays anger and sorrow which is described as appropriate but he is also stoic and reflective.
The sermon made me think about my response to the four tragedies and how, certainly for the two “man made” ones, I would have been mad and harbored feelings of revenge towards the men that did the stealing and killings. Job, on the other hand, immediately recognizes all four events as having originated from God, which is interesting and speaks to Job’s recognition that God is in control of everything.
Lastly, ways through Job’s suffering become apparent. Firstly, after the grief and attribution of who is responsible, there is an acknowledgement that everything we have comes from God. Naked I was born, naked shall I die. Everything that happens between the two events of birth and death are gifts from God. I am reminded of the poem “The dash” read at Milton Primer’s funeral. And also how we are all born and die the same way. Secondly, as an aid to suffering, we must realize that everything God does is for our salvation, and that might be a very long game.
I am also starting to think of the Book of Job as a training manual. How to behave, self examination, purpose are all lessons taught.
“If we are not patient, our faith necessarily vanishes, for it cannot exist without patience.”
“So let us note that the word ‘patience’ does not mean that men are in a daze…but the virtue exists… that they will continue to glorify God… that they will not be wrought with anguish and… abandon everything.”
“There is nothing more difficult than exercising moderation and restraint.”
“God sends us adversity, for it is especially then that we usually lose the most control.”
“It is also good and useful for the faithful, when God afflicts them, to get them to think about themselves. ‘Who am I? What kind of person am I? Why am I afflicted this way?’”
“It is true men seek in vain to avoid it, but they cannot do violence to nature.”
“So death shows us our lot in life and our insignificance.”
“Let us, I say, allow God to deprive us of everything, and let us remain completely naked, ready to return to the grave in that condition.”
“Let us not think it evil to lose in a moment everything we have been able to acquire throughout our lives.”
“…if He [God] lets us have things our way, there would only be confusion…”