 Job 40-42; Psalm 9; Galatians 5
“I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.”
Job is a very difficult book to read and to understand. One would be advised to read the commentary on Job in the resource section of this blog. [Bible Briefs]. The Rev. Dr. Richard W. Corney, concludes his commentary with the following:
“Job knew that he was a person of perfect integrity. Yet the prerequisite for the encounter with God that Job desired was not integrity, but the conviction of his own creatureliness. It is not works but faith that brings one into the presence of God.”
As I reflect on these final chapters of Job today and add to them the influence of Galatians I am helped in understanding both. God’s means of entering the ‘argument’ with Job is through an exposition and reflection of God’s Creation. Remember a few days ago in Chapter 38 God begins God’s dialog: “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: …’Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding.’”
It is only as Job comes to understand is his own ‘small creatureliness’ that his encounter with God becomes a “Knowing of God.” My friend and one of my favorite teachers, Marilyn Adams says, “God is very, very, Big -- and we are very, very, very, small!” When Job comes to his own humility, and stops looking for the answer of his condition with works or lack thereof, he finds his ‘knowing of God.”
“I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.” [42:5]
The Galatians are the focus of Paul’s frustration with this same struggle. The Galatians have been tempted by others following Paul that they must subject themselves to the “works” of the law in order to inherit eternal life. Circumcision [as symbol in this case] is an outward and visible pledge of one’s entry into a covenant with Torah – the law. Paul is repeating what has been conveyed to Job. There is nothing in our smallness that we can do to earn our salvation. As God was angered with the rhetoric of Job and Job’s friends, and so Paul suggests, will God be angered if these Galatians abandon their relationship of ‘Faith.”
I fear I too, often attempt to measure my relationship to God through my ‘works’ rather than in the humble awesomeness of God’s love through faith. How about You?
“God is very, very, Big -- and we are very, very, very, small!”
Tom+
The Ven. Thomas A. Bruttell
Archdeacon for Transitional ministry
Diocese of Southeast Florida
 Job 37-39, Psalm 8, Galatians 4
In the midst of the agonies of our lives ‘tis but grace that gifts us with the ability to trust… and to keep on trusting… and to keep on trusting. In reading Job I’m reminded time and again of a passage from Proverbs that has certainly helped me in times of personal tragedy or heartache:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
Acknowledge him in all your ways and he will direct your path. (Prov 3:5-7)
Job’s life evolved in trust. As he looked back on his dark night of the soul I could imagine his prayer being steeped in this trust-without-knowing as he sought some deeper meaning for his plight. Even though he railed against God at times we can always hear a strong conviction in the presence of God. He “ended his words” in Chapter 37 with deep humility and confession, though it seems he had nothing to confess, really. And God, pretty much ignoring his clueless friends, answered Job out of the whirlwind proclaiming his almighty power… the power of the Creator of the universe. Trust. Trust.
So what happens when we struggle with trust in the Almighty? When we feel assaulted from all directions? When we feel we cannot be like Job? The great gift (and grace!) for us is that we have Holy Scripture and that we are choosing to embrace in this Bible Challenge. Even (and especially) when we doubt, our sacred text serves as a living, dynamic Word able to pull us back from the pits of despair to hope… pull us back to the joy and awareness of God as Sovereign, as Psalm 8 declares. Maybe even Job relied on some kind of memory from an ancestor or words of wisdom spoken from a friend to keep him grounded in the God of his understanding. As Anglicans, we share the knowledge of this unity in Christ. We are a corporate Body holding each other up in times of need.
And Paul reminds us that as children of God we cry Abba, intimately addressing God as a little child does, “Daddy!”…Trusting in God as Jesus did. And that same Abba is with us.
We are asked to surrender to that which is beyond our understanding and, when we do, we are free. Free to follow the way of our Lord. Free to know we don’t need to know. Free to trust in peace even in the midst of difficulty. Praise God!
Wendy Tobias
 The Bravery to be Introspective - Psalm 7
A wise man once said to me, “the hardest person to be 100% honest with is yourself.” And that is such a true statement. Especially in a culture that likens admitting one’s shortcomings to a sure sign of weakness, it is rare that we allow ourselves the opportunity to sit and consider our faults. Yet, in the Psalm appointed for today King David does exactly that. In regarding the troubles he faced, David appeals to his trust in God. He knows that God will deliver him.
But, he knows that God will deliver him if he is found to be righteous.
So in his appeal, David takes time to first ask the Lord to judge him if he has been wrong. Acknowledging that he, himself, could have indeed been in the wrong, David implores God to allow his enemies to persecute him.
Would you be that brave? Would you implore God to allow you to face persecution if you are found to be in the wrong? Do you even take the time to consider? As David says in verse 11, “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” None of us will escape His judgment. And, none of us will be delivered if we are the wicked. But God will establish the just and deliver the righteous from persecution.
Beloved, our God will deliver us from the hands of our enemies. He will save us from persecution. Yet, our God is a just God. He does not save those who reject Him. And when we fail to regard ourselves and our sins, we are like those who claim to see when they are really blind (John 9:41).
May the Lord give us strength and courage to be introspective that we might be delivered from those who persecute us! Amen.
For more information on Fr. Jah Bread, please visit: www.JahBread.com
 Job 31-33; Psalm 6; Galatians 2
Today, as in the past several days, Job continues in his struggle to understand why God has inflicted such disaster upon him. He remains in a state of disbelief. In chapter 31 Job provides a detailed list of possible offenses that one might commit against God. At the end of the litany, Job swears up and down, “I didn’t do it.” He is, he tells God “righteous in his own eyes.”
Enter Elihu apologizing for his youth, and expressing exasperation that his elders have been unable to successfully address Job’s dilemma. Elihu confronts Job’s logic and claims to have wisdom that stems from “the spirit in a mortal, the breath of the Almighty that makes for understanding.” Elihu chastises Job for questioning God and claiming that God has not listened to Job’s pleas for justice. Elihu tells Job, “God speaks in one way or two, though people do not perceive it.”
The psalmist in Psalm 6 cries out in anguish “O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger, or discipline me in your wrath…Turn, O Lord, save my life; deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.” We wonder what ills have befallen the writer. Was he, like Job, living a life of faith when illness or some other disaster unexpectedly entered his life, prompting him to cry out – “Why me, God? Why me?” Ultimately, much to our relief, the psalmist appears comforted as he sings, “Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping…the Lord accepts my prayer.”
In Galatians 2 Paul is experiencing his own painful struggle as he justifies his words and actions in light of apparent opposition from other “leaders.” We aren’t quite sure who the leaders are, but a threatened Paul, in his very own way, is giving them a run for their money. As the chapter draws to a close Paul eloquently elaborates on his justification by faith mantra. This portion of his treatise ends powerfully with the words, “And the life I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.”
I would bet that there is not one among us who has not cried out to God, “Why me – Why me?” And, if you are at all like me, the “Why me” is followed by a litany of all the good things that I have accomplished; all the sins that I have omitted. The next step is, of course, a bit more humble - prayer and reflection on the human dilemma…why do we suffer? If God is good, why is life, much of the time, so very miserable?
Elihu, the psalmist and Paul all give us important clues to finding peace in this painfully challenging world – embarking on prayer, listening to the Spirit, and having profound and unwavering faith. The peace that passes all understanding comes from a life of discipline and faith that has no fear of painful feelings, insurmountable challenges, or unanswered questions. Those who are at peace know that the Spirit is with us; God hears us; and a life in Christ saves us.
The Rev. Clelia P. Garrity, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Delray Beach, FL
 Galatians 1
Sometimes we get so familiar with a text from hearing it over and over again that it loses its impact. Since we just completed Paul's letter to the Galatians in our Sunday cycle of readings, it is understandable that its impact from our reading in our Bible Challenge beginning today could be diminished. Some years ago, the Biblical scholar Eugene Peterson encountered a similar thing as he was teaching a class on Galatians. He found that the people "simply weren't connecting with the real meaning of the words and the relevance of the New Testament for their own lives." As a result, he began translating Paul's letter directly from the Greek, and he found that "they quit stirring their coffee and started catching Paul's passion and excitement as he wrote to a group of Christians whom he was guiding in the ways of Jesus Christ."
What resulted for Peterson was not only a new and vibrant translation of Galatians, but also a new translation of the New Testament, known as "The Message." I encourage you to read Peterson's translation of Galatians, (find it at http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+1&version=MSG), because it captures well the passion that Paul must have been feeling as he wrote to the Galatians. His ministry and authority are under attack. He defends his ministry and mission as being given to him directly by Jesus himself. He goes on the counter-attack against those who would espouse circumcision as the only route to faithful discipleship. He gives an impassioned plea for followers of Christ to exercise the true freedom that is offered in Jesus.
It is a message that comes alive for us today: a community embroiled in divisions, self-righteous leaders with questionable motives, religious leaders saying that "you must do it this way to be saved..." Sound familiar? I encourage you to enjoy this opportunity to re-visit Paul's message to the Galatians, as it is just as much, especially in Peterson's translation, a message for us today.
Peace,
Marty Zlatic
 Job 25-27, Psalm 4, 11 Corinthians 13
Today’s reading in 2 Corinthians ends that letter. As you read it, I hope that you can feel his passion, his intense desire to convey to them what is required by God of those who are in the body of Christ. The translators have added exclamation marks to show us how strong the language is here. He warns them, “…if I come again, I will not be lenient…” Imagine if our priests or bishops said this to us! Imagine if your church had received this letter from its founder. What would that mean in our congregations today?
In different words we hear the same urging from the writer of the Psalm, said to be David, for today. “How long, you people, shall my honour suffer shame? How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? Selah” Remember, this is a song. Imagine finding it in a hymnal in your church; not a song in the service music or a psalter, but right there in the hymnal. This hymn of exhortation is sung to remind all of the singers and listeners that the actions of the people are a reflection of their concern for the Law of God. God who says, “Thou shalt not false witness…” is the same God who hears your lies.
As we read these words do we think about how our lives reflect the glory of God? I bet that most of us hope so and pray for that to be true. But I have to confess that sometimes I skim. (It’s true.) When we were reading the lists in the early part of the Bible, I skimmed. Some times in Job with their long accusations and replies, I skim. Sometimes when I review my own life and ask myself the questions that Paul and David have asked their readers, I skim too.
Teach us Lord to not skim as we look at your work in our lives. Teach us to live fully in this moment, to see its possibilities and to see your activity. Help us to live lives that will bring you honour and not shame. When we fail, forgive us and help us to try again. Amen.
 Job 22-24; Psalm 3, II Corinthians 12
Job and II Corinthians are worth a life-time of exploration and reflection. The longer I have the privilege of experiencing life, the more significant they become in my daily pilgrimage for Christ Jesus.
Many years ago, I prayed for Fay who was suffering from what was to become terminal cancer. I was certain that she would be healed…and told her so. She was so gracious and then she died. I was angry and questioned God’s wisdom in taking such a vital witness to life.
Annabel and I are vacationing with friends in Idaho. It’s not quite the same atmosphere in this small Idaho city since one of her brightest and most welcoming members died in April. Cindy was always the life of the party and welcomed everyone into to her cheery embrace. She died suddenly of a cerebral aneurism. Nothing could be done for her and suddenly she was gone and a void appeared in our hearts. I was angry with God and questioned God’s wisdom in taking such a vital witness to life.
Part of Job’s story that gets articulated in Job 22-24 is his request to speak with God and hear from Him why he is being punished when he sees himself as the innocent victim of loss. Job cries,
“How I wish I knew where to find him,
and knew where he is.
I would state my case before him
and present all the arguments in my favor.”
(Job 23:3-4)
Sound familiar? Job’s friendly adversaries argue that he is a sinner and his suffering is because he has fallen short of what God has demanded. They are very articulate in stating the “orthodox” view of why Job/we are suffering. They fail, however, to allow for deep questioning of God’s actions especially those which appear to be so unfair and unwarranted. The Book of Job is a tremendous encouragement to us because it allows…no demands…that the discovery of true and healthy spiritual can be found in our struggles with God in the unknown and unknowable areas of our lives. I don’t know why Fay was taken at great loss to us all. I certainly don’t know why such a vibrant part of so many lives was taken when Cindy died. I struggle, I ask, I wonder, I get angry, I cry, I wonder, I ask, I plead, I morn. In all of this my faith does not grow weaker but grows in richness.
Paul deals with just such struggles with his “painful physical ailment.” (2 Cor. 12:7) Paul prays and prays and prays. Unlike Job, Paul gets an answer that is sufficient for him and in truth brings great comfort to us in our struggles. “My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak.” (2 Cor. 12:9) God’s answer to Paul is certainly sufficient for Paul and does speak to us in our various periods when we struggle with answers to the pains of our life. Just meditating on “my grace is all you need” brings great comfort and a sense of understanding and peace. But, let us not be mistaken, “my grace is all you need” does not answer all the thirsts of our soul. It helps tremendously when we are broken and near despair but it still does not answer some of our deep longings. Some of those answers await us in heaven…and yet, we still question and in so doing become richer in faith!
 Job 19-21, Psalm 2, II Corinthians 11
Job 19-21 The bulk of the Book of Job is comprised of three cycles of dialogue in which Job’s three “friends,” Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar each speak in turn; after each one speaks Job responds. In our section for today we are in the midst of the second of these three cycles. Chapter 19 is Job’s reply to Bildad, Chapter 20 is a speech by Zophar, and Chapter 21 is another retort from Job. Chapter 19 is poignant in its description of the utter isolation of Job. His kin and his friends who were always around when he was on top of the world all seem to have disappeared! Perhaps this is a sad commentary of the fickleness of human loyalty. The end of Chapter 19 should be familiar to every Episcopalian, since Job’s beautiful assertion of his confidence in ultimate vindication by his redeemer is one of the opening sentences pronounced at virtually every funeral.
Job’s three friends are defending the orthodoxy of the day, which stated that the righteous are rewarded with good health, prosperity, posterity, and long life, whereas the wicked suffer illness, poverty, and perhaps an early death. This is the theological outlook reflected in the Deuteronomic history: whenever Israel sinned, Israel was beset by enemies from all sides; whenever Israel repented, Israel lived in peace. Applying this line of thought to individual lives, Job’s friends insist that he is the cause of his own suffering and if only he would admit it and confess to God then God would ease up on him. Job has too much integrity to go along with this simplistic nonsense. So the Book of Job is an excellent example of dialectic in the Bible: dialectic within the book itself as well as a refutation of the theology represented in the books of the Deuteronomic history. Job attacks with facts the tidy notion of just retribution in life for one’s sins or good deeds, pointing out that indeed there are many examples of wicked people who are wealthy and enjoy all the blessings of life, as well as good people who struggle. Job’s realism is too much for Zophar. Zophar likes to think that life is predictable, orderly, and Job’s line of argument is shaking his sense of security. If Job is right, then there is chaos and randomness in life. So Zophar, in Chapter 20, agrees with Job’s point about the existence of many wicked wealthy people, but only up to a point. His agreement is a “Yes, but…” Zophar insists that God’s justice is swift and that the wicked who enjoy the good life will quickly suffer a reversal of fortunes.
Job doesn’t accept Zophar’s “Yes, but…” argument, and he insists that the wicked do indeed often enjoy life to the end of their days, at a very ripe old age at that. He anticipates the retort that the punishment for their wickedness will fall on their children, but that is not a morally acceptable argument to Job. Job tells his friends that they have nothing to offer but tired old clichés (“empty nothings,” 21:24).
Psalm 2 Psalm 2 is a bit arrogant in tone. It likely was written during the reigns of either King David or King Solomon, when a united Israel was a regional power with neighboring vassal states that had to pay tribute to Israel.
II Corinthians 11 Paul had his issues with the Church at Corinth! There is a reference to a “severe letter” which Paul felt compelled to send the Corinthians at one point. This letter seems to have been lost to history. However, Chapters 10-13 of II Corinthians are so different in tone (at times angry and even sarcastic) that many scholars believe these chapters to have originally been a fragment of another letter. Perhaps these chapters were originally part of the “severe letter.” It’s often difficult to decipher what is going on in these chapters in which Paul is defending his ministry and his status as an apostle. Paul is often responding to criticisms which are not described in the letter but presumably would have been known to the recipients of the letter. It does seem clear, however, that some “super apostles,” perhaps eloquent speakers with charisma, had come to Corinth after Paul had founded the Church there and these others seem to have denigrated Paul and his ministry and swayed many in the Church to follow an alternative version of the Gospel. Paul is forceful, and evidently ultimately successful, in his self-defense.
Frank J. Corbishley
The Episcopal Church Center at the University of Miami
 Every Thought Captive
Blog, July 10th
Job 16-18, Psalm 1, 2 Corinthians 10
As we ponder various situations in the world around us, and Job’s situation in today’s reading, we are reminded to take each thought captive and make it obedient unto Jesus Christ. (2 Cor. 10:5) As God’s children, our desire is to walk closely in God’s presence every step of our journey. One way we draw close to God is through a positive thought process.
When we use such words as expect…ready for…am prepared…am open to…accept… receive…love…am comfortable with…allow,…am worthy of…am willing, our minds develop phrases of positive affirmations, which will discipline our minds to be self-controlled, taking captive every thought and making it obedient unto Christ.
As we discipline our thoughts and remind ourselves that we are ready, prepared and open to God’s work and will in our lives, God’s guidance becomes welcomed. Taking our thoughts captive means we are accepting of His will, ready to receive it and comfortable with it when it comes.
By observing our self-talk, we evaluate our strength of mental discipline. Is every thought being taken captive unto Christ? We train our minds to intentionally, proactively and purposefully think rather than reactively, randomly and subconsciously conclude our daily thoughts. Silent conversations with ourselves gradually become our thinking pattern and our thinking patterns bring about actions which become habits. These habits reap character and our character produces destiny!
We are in charge of delivering operating instructions to our subconscious. (Success is Not An Accident, Tommy Newberry.) In Christian terms this means taking every thought captive unto Christ. When our delight is in the law of the Lord and when we meditate on this law day and night, we will be like trees planted by streams of water, which yield fruit in season. Whatever we do, we will prosper! (Ps. 1)
 Job 13-15, Psalm 150, II Corinthians 9
Since we began this journey together we have completed 17 books of the Old Testament reading mostly three chapters per day. We have read seven books of the New Testament reading a single chapter per day. Today we completed by far the longest book of the Bible, the Book of the Psalms. This book of songs makes up over 10 percent of the verses in the Old Testament.
A number of years ago, after finishing 15 months of a residency as a chaplain in a New York hospital, I went on a week long retreat at Little Portion Friary on Long Island. Each day I spent some time in prayer, some in silence, some in reading scripture, some in pulling weeks, and some napping. It was a restorative time after a grueling 15 months. One day I decided that I would read through the whole book of the Psalms in a single day. While it seemed daunting to me, I knew that monks and nuns had done this for centuries, so it could be done.
The day started with Morning Prayer and breakfast. After breakfast I began my reading of the Psalms. I said some aloud and some silently. I read inside and outside. As I wanted to complete the challenge before the evening began – Evening Prayer, Eucharist, Dinner and Compline one right after the other – I read quickly.
I will NEVER forget the feeling of reading those last Psalms as I sat in the chapel before Evening Prayer began. They were so joyful! Over and over again the words came – Praise the Lord! Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! It was a glorious way to end the day!
What if we could live this way every day? Imagine starting each day dedicating your day to God in Psalm 1 “…their delight is in the law of the Lord.” Imagine ending each day with the joy of Psalm 150. “Praise the Lord!” What if we never forgot?
But it is easy to forget. As we read Job, we remember the times that are hard, when we might forget to praise God, or not want to. We listen to Eliphaz blame Job for what has befallen him, not is anger, but in justification of God. Why justify God? Because it seems that God is being unfair. What is hidden in that assessment, however, is that he is judging God. Sure, he doesn’t mean to, but to defend God is to think that God needs to be defended. We only defend when we think judgment is in the mix.
The 150th Psalm is so clear – we are not here to judge God. We are here to praise God! May your life today praise God. May your work today help others to praise God!
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