Contemplative Bible Reading

This is part of the back-and-forth among Job and his close friends as they discuss the plight of Job and his misery. And, let’s not forget, Job had been struck with big calamities. And, let’s not forget, Job’s friends were friends. While some of their arguments and advice were poor, they were present when Job […]

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Job 33:14-18 (New Living Translation) 14 For God speaks again and again,though people do not recognize it.15 He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night,when deep sleep falls on peopleas they lie in their beds.16 He whispers in their earsand terrifies them with warnings.17 He makes them turn from doing wrong;he keeps them from […]

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Job 33:14 (New Living Translation) 14 For God speaks again and again,though people do not recognize it. In this sentence, Elihu is speaking to Job while Job suffers. Much of what Job’s friends say to him is incorrect and is later corrected by God. I think this phrase from Elihu is correct. Has God spoken […]

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Job 17:3 (New Living Translation) You must defend my innocence, O God,since no one else will stand up for me. Job is speaking to his friends. He is literally sick and tired of it all. He is frustrated, but what he says is often correct. “Please God,” cries Job. “God alone cares for those who […]

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Job 1:18-19 (New Living Translation) 18 While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. 19 Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I […]

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Job 13:1-2 (New Living Translation) 1 “Look, I have seen all this with my own eyesand heard it with my own ears, and now I understand.2 I know as much as you do.You are no better than I am. Job the afflicted is talking to his friends. Job is trying to teach his friends what […]

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Job 28:28 (New Living Translation) “And this is what he (God) says to all humanity:‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom;to forsake evil is real understanding.’” Job is talking. Job is relaying what he learned from a conversation with God. Real understanding means to forsake evil. “Forsake” is one of those Bible words that […]

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Job 37:23-24 (New Living Translation) 23 We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty; but even though he is just and righteous, he does not destroy us. 24 No wonder people everywhere fear him. All who are wise show him reverence.” People everywhere fear God. Those select few who are wise revere God. Why do […]

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Job 36:26 (New Living Translation) Look, God is greater than we can understand. We find this statement in one of the more contemplative (hi)stories in the Bible. God is great. God is so great, we cannot understand God. We cannot truly know God, because God is just…well, God. There are days when I wonder in […]

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Job 1:1 (New Living Translation) There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. Such begins the Old Testament book that recounts the (hi)story of Job. A simple statement that describes the man. Note the […]

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