Daily Lesson for January 6, 2019

Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Job chapter 1 verses 6 through 12:


6 One day the heavenly beings[a] came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 8 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil.” 9 Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have you not put a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not stretch out your hand against him!” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

At the heart of Job is a central and compelling question offered, somewhat ironically, by Satan in the story:  “Does Job fear God for nothing?” or as another translation puts it, “Does God worship God for nothing?”

It is a profound question, and one which could be posed of me.  So much of my own prayer life and spirituality revolves around asking for help, guidance, protection, and crumbs of bread scattered along this scary and bewildering path we call life.

And most other people are the same. We plead to God for our wants and needs. This is why it is said that no matter what the Supreme Court decides there will always be Prayer in schools so long as there are math tests in classrooms.

But would we worship God for nothing?  Would we fear God if we didn’t get a thing? Or, would we fear God if, like Job, we lost everything?

Job tests our faith. It refines our motives.  It purifies our religion.

There is nothing wrong with praying for our daily bread. There is nothing wrong with praying to God for our own safety, protection, and prosperity. But the book of Job teaches us that in the end we must be faithful to accept the freedom of God and the ignorance of our own wisdom.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, had a “Covenant Prayer” which one of my dear friends and mentors used to pray daily:

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.

Our Covenant with God is based on grace and not works. And the saints teach us that that is true not only of our own works, but also of God’s. We must all learn to worship God “for nothing”.  And that is a wisdom and a faithfulness that can only be found in suffering and in loss.

Teach us this wisdom, dear LORD, but teach it mildly we pray . . .

NOTE: As we are reading through the Bible this calendar year, tomorrow’s Daily Lesson will come from Job chapters 14-16.