Read With Mike

Ok, we made it through Job. As I’m following a chronological reading plan, we left the book of Genesis around the time Abram was getting ready to take center stage in the story, because the best historical research shows the story of Job happening at about this point in history. And now we resume Genesis as Abram gets some really good news.

Genesis 12-15

It’s my day off, I’m rested after a good night’s sleep, I’ve made coffee, our (electric) fireplace is going, and my dogs are cuddled up on the couch with me. Life is going well, and it seems a good time to finally finish wrestling with Job.

I started this project many months ago and was fairly diligent for a couple weeks, then 1 part busy, 1 part lazy, and 1 part “how do I sum up the book of Job?” combined to make it very easy to stop.  But it was a rewarding exercise for those couple weeks, and a few of you seemed to enjoy reading and dialoguing with me, so here goes again…

Job 40-42

One of the many good things I’ve received from my parents is a love of being in nature: of Colorado mountain lakes, of springtime Kansas thunderstorms, of bald eagles nesting, of elephant seals gathered on a small California beach.

Sometime I need to sit by a beautiful stream somewhere or in the middle of a raging thunderstorm and read these chapters.

Job 38-39

I’m really glad I’m doing this (and thankful that others are reading and chiming in, too). I’ve never read the Bible quite in this way - that is, with the close attention that comes from knowing you have to figure out something to write about it.

My perspective on Job is changing, or maybe deepening is a better word. The (seemingly) endless back and forth between Job and his friends was starting to get to me, but now that Elihu is speaking, I’m finding myself feeling challenged and humbled.

Job 35-37

Here’s a major turning point in Job: we start to get as close as is possible to some clarity, or at least a general theme. It’s still poetic, it’s still messy, but some sense starts to be made.

And it comes from a younger guy, Elihu.

Job 32-34

Sorry for the extended break, everyone. I got lazy. But I will persist…

Actually, honestly, as I get back to Job here, I think I was getting a little emotionally tired from reading and writing about Job… it’s heavy stuff if you’re not just skimming it, but actually feeling the weight of the issues.  So that’s not an excuse, but just an observation, that even now I’m feeling a bit of trepidation to go back to it. But here we go:

Job 29-31

My head’s starting to hurt, which I guess is appropriate since 1) we’ve been plowing through what some think is the oldest book in existence, and 2) it deals with maybe the most studied, debated, and disagreed on issue ever - the problem of pain and suffering.

An interesting progression in the argument happens here in:

Job 24-28

On my other blog, I just asked this large question: What do you believe? (Link)

If you’re interested in this conversation we’re having here, perhaps you might want to take a look there, too?

Didn’t get a chance to write on Thursday, and then Sarah and I spent Thurs evening, Friday, and Saturday galavanting around wine country. With apologies to those of you who are reading along, I feel good about periodically spending a couple days enjoying life with my wife and ignoring this project.

We had a very nice weekend, tasting wine, enjoying the beauty of that area, and then randomly running into good friends yesterday and having dinner with them. A part of our conversation with those friends yesterday reminded me of some of the themes in today’s reading:

Job 21-23

Back and forth we continue, with Job’s friends (probably ticked because they’re stuck with names like Bildad and Zophar) continuing to describe - truly and in great detail - what happens to the wicked and Job saying, “Wait… but I’m not the wicked!”

Job 17-20