February 5, 2013

Today I have a regular Tuesday of being the lead pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church, with Staff prayers, worship planning, and management meetings. Tomorrow I will host the executive staff roundtable and the executive leadership team, both preparing for the Thursday evening Church Council Meeting. This weekend David and Danelle will visit, and I hope to have my message well in hand so I can spend quality time with them.

I feel somewhat rested, even though I worked intermittently throughout my day off yesterday. There is some work that just must be done – such as getting a staff update worded accurately, making sure a luncheon is in the works, talking with a pastor with whom I left a message on Friday, and writing my pastor’s pen before bedtime in order for the newsletter production schedule to go more smoothly today. I worked around the house, cooking lunch over an open fire, fixing dinner, loading some firewood to give away, etc. In the afternoon I took a motorcycle ride down along lakes Tanycomo and Bull Shoals, ending up in Branson and then home. It was a good, reflective, enjoyable ride of 110 miles over 3 hours.

Job 4-5

Eliphaz is Job’s first friend to respond. He asks “doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope?” This question assumes that a person can please God and be justified based on their own good works. There is a measure of truth in the assumption that if a person reveres God and does good works, there can be confidence, but this is not the basis for pleasing God. In 4:17 Eliphaz asks “Can a mortal be innocent before God? Can anyone be pure before the Creator?” He is getting around to accusing Job of sinning as the reason he is suffering, but these questions also point the reader to the fact that no one is pure before the creator, and we all need the saving power of Jesus Christ.

On page 100 of the Chronological Life Application Study Bible there is a great chart of all the friends, their advice, Job’s response, and God’s response. This is a great summary.  

Guide me today, most holy Lord as I serve as one of your undershepherds, pastoring the flock in Springfield. Use me, lead me, empower me, give me insights, inspire me, constrain me, and propel me into this day full of faith, hope and love. Amen.