Sunday, 23 August 2009

‘The Pain Game’

Week 9: Discovering the Character of God through Job

9.1. Do we ever feel like our lives are part of some supernatural game of chess? Does it sometimes feel like, just as we seem to be advancing, something huge, unexpected and possibly painful comes along and blocks our path – or worse, knocks us off the board completely? Invite the group to discuss times when they may have felt like this.

9.2. Read Job 1:1 and 1:6 – 2:10. Imagine that we are Job.
  • How would we feel/react to the news that he receives?
  • Is he right to react the way he does?
  • How is he able to react with such faith? (reread verse 1:1 if necessary)

9.3. Despite his initial refusal to blame God, Job’s three friends are keen to show him that someone must be to blame. After all, ‘God rewards the righteous and punishes the sinners.’ (4:6-9). Instead, however, Job questions God and begins complaining, as we discover in 7:11-16. He carries on like this for another 3o chapters (!) and amidst these, we see that he does in deed begin to blame God. Read 16:6-14.
  • What do we think about that response?
  • How do you think God will react?

9.4. Read 38:1-4; 40:1-2 and 40:6-14. Discuss the way the Lord responds to Jobs whinging and accusing. God does not say that Job is wrong to question His purposes, but does make it clear that he should never have blamed Him, or tried to say that God was being unfair. We have no right to ‘usurp’ God.

9.5. Finally, read 42:1-6, 10. Here, Job is rightly, genuinely repentful – and the Lord rewards the sincerity of his response.

Week 9: Summary

Three characteristics of God this week include…
  • God allows our faith to be tested.
  • He allows us to question his purpose but not his fairness.
  • He wants for us to really know Him.

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