Liturgy: “Job 1:1 flips the tables”
When I became a Christian in college, I was attracted to the joy of the Christian faith. Jesus died to save me, and He loves me and wants me to be happy. That’s a fun message to embrace. Yet, in my early faith walk, I only saw half the message. God does love us, and He assures us that everything that happens to us is for our own good. But Job 1:1 flips the tables. Following God is not about what we get, it’s much more about how we can best be God’s representatives on earth.
What is the King’s Liturgy? King’s Liturgy defines our experience together as a Christian community. It outlines the rhythms we celebrate with the Church at large: Scripture readings, Sabbath habits, and celebration of Holy Days and historical events.
This Week’s Lectionary Readings
Job 1:1
Psalm 26
Hebrews 1:1-4
Mark 10:2-16
This week’s liturgy is contributed by Dr. Kimberly Reeve, associate professor of business:
When I became a Christian in college, I was attracted to the joy of the Christian faith. Jesus died to save me, and He loves me and wants me to be happy. That’s a fun message to embrace. Yet, in my early faith walk, I only saw half the message. God does love us, and He assures us that everything that happens to us is for our own good. But Job 1:1 flips the tables. Following God is not about what we get, it’s much more about how we can best be God’s representatives on earth.
Job 1:1, the first verse of a very long book, states that Job, “was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.” Instead of focusing on how much God loved him, Job focused on being faithful to God and His teachings. Psalm 26 reiterates this concept of a blameless life. Being blameless means that we act with integrity and sincerity and are consistent with our thoughts and actions in every aspect of our life. As a wealthy businessman, Job likely realized that all he had in life was his reputation – his blamelessness – and he firmly established himself as a man of God who would choose good and refuse evil.
Choosing good and refusing evil is easy when everything is going well for us. It becomes more difficult when we live in a culture where the lines between good and evil are intentionally blurred. It’s difficult when we see people who are taking short-cuts, lying to gain favor, or flat-out pursuing evil, and they’re the ones getting the good grades and great jobs.
My Mom was a 5th-grade teacher for 30 years and, not surprisingly, most of her life advice is geared toward 10-year-olds. Whenever I complain about an unjust situation, my Mom replies, “Well, Sweetie, life isn’t always fair, but all you can do is be the person God wants you to be.” I admit, I often roll my eyes and think that my Mom doesn’t get it. I mean, I’ve experienced some real injustices! But once I calm down, I realize that my Mom, in her infinite 5th-grade wisdom, understand more than I ever will.
Think back to Job. Everything is going well in verse 1, but nothing good happens to Job in the next 41 chapters. From material loss to major health issues to death of family members, Job experiences every form of injustice and sorrow. Throughout his trials, Job yelled, sat in silence, and questioned God, but he also remained blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.
Yes, God loves us. And he also wants us to be His representative on earth. I encourage you to join me in thinking about how we can live the full message of God.