Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Read the last chapter of the book of Job. When God finally
spoke to Job, He did not explain why He permitted Job to suffer. This has
left many puzzled, for the book of Job seems to hold no answer to the
questions it raises. During the last two months when we faced a lot of
terrific and tragic realities of life, many doubts would have come out
into our minds. Why do the innocent suffer? Why do tragedies strike good
people? Why does God allow crime and terrorism to overshadow our lives?
There is no answer here.
But perhaps this is the point. The book of Job portrays a
God who is wise beyond our comprehension, a God who can and does judge the
wickedness. It also portrays a God who permitted Satan to torment Job and
who, after Satan’s defeat caused Job’s suffering to continue. At the
same time the book emphasizes that Job was a blameless and righteous man.
How does all this fit together?
By the end of the book Job had suffered far more than he
could have feared or even imagined. Yet Job had also met God . He had been
rebuked, but he had also been commended. Job realized that even in his
suffering God was for him. God had observed his actions, and approved.
Even when his pain was greatest, his doubts overwhelming, and his words
the most foolish, God cared. Through the experience of suffering Job had
at last come to know that God was his friend. This may be the true message
of the book of Job that despite our suffering God is our friend. With this
assurance, we can face and be victorious in our pain.
Philosopher-theologian Soren Kierkegard wrote like this “… when a man’s
heart groans in despair, and in bitterness of soul he cries to heaven,
then Job still walks at the side of the race and guarantees that there is
a victory, guarantees that even if the individual loses in the strife,
there is still God…”
Now let me express our heartfelt condolences to the
families of those who lost their dear ones on the tragic incident of
September 11th. Let us up hold the nation and leaders in prayer and stand
united in solidarity with them.
Beloved in Christ, “God is our refuge and strength, an
ever-present help in trouble.” Ps 46:1
Yours Lovingly,
Thomas Chandy Achen