Not intending to be boastful, I will say that I am on my 6th read through of the Bible. I first read it through as a teenager in Mormon seminary where we used exclusively the old King James Version. That was a rough translation for a teen, and I couldn't say how much of it I truly took in. Since then, I have read the NIV, NLT, and the Message translations. Ordinarily, I begin my reading in the gospels, but this year's choice is TNIV in chronological order, and I am already thinking that next year I want to read the New King James Version without all of the thees and thous and begots.
There are certain books of the Bible that I love to read and savor ever word ~ Proverbs, Genesis, the gospels, James. And there are others that I now skim ~ Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Then there are the books that I have tried so hard but just don't get ~ Psalms, Ecclesiasties, the prophets. I think part of the problem is lack of point of reference, which is why I have chosen the chronological Books of the Bible for this year's read. Maybe with the writings of the prophets tucked into the historical recounts of the events I can glean why the prophecy was significant at the time instead of only in retrospect.
The book of Job is particularly difficult for me. Years ago, when my life was seemingly falling apart and I twistedly believed that God was behind it all, a coworker suggested that I remember and be encouraged by the life and trials of Job. I remembered, but was sinking too deeply into an unhealthy mental state to be encouraged. If anything, in my warped way of thinking, remembering only justified my skewed view that God was entertained by the suffering of His people.
As my mental health has recovered, I have rededicated my life to Christ, and sincerely sought to understand His word, Job has continued to be an boulder on my spiritual journey. The initial events leading up to Job's lament are not difficult to understand. He was a righteous man and thus blessed in his life. In spite of living only to please God, God allowed Job to loose everything but his life ~ and bitchy, accusatory wife, apparently. But I digress. It is when Job's "friends" arrive to offer their words of "comfort" that the author looses me. I have ADHD, so when monologs are 2, 3, 4 chapters long not only to I loose the underlying point of the speech, but I can't even remember who's speaking. Add to that the fact that the original book was written poetically and that the flow and word pictures that would have encouraged one to relate and remember have been lost in our crude translation from Hebrew into English.
As much as I'm not a fan of Job, it has been in my heart to more fully understand this book. Maybe it has been recent events that have created a longing in me to understand why God would allow us to suffer so much. Maybe it's because it frustrates me to not understand. Whatever the reason, I have made a commitment to study the book of Job. Due to life circumstances, this study will NOT happen within the 12 weeks for which it is designed. It will happen as I can devote the energy to concentrated study. But part of this study involves reflection questions asking one to consider their spiritual walk thus far. I type much faster than I write, and I will more than likely answer some of those questions here. I only hope I sound less whiny than Job.
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