Contemplative Bible Reading

Job 16:7-8 (New Living Translation)

⁷ “O God, you have ground me down
    and devastated my family.
⁸ As if to prove I have sinned, you’ve reduced me to skin and bones.
    My gaunt flesh testifies against me.

Job is talking to Jehovah God the Creator. Job is partly correct in his assessment of the situation. God has allowed Job to be reduced to “skin and bones.” God does know that Job, even for all his good attributes, is a sinner (like all of us). This is a special situation as we are told that God allowed Satan to inflict disease on Job.

The end of illness as a sign of sin.

When I am ill, is that a sign that God knows I have sinned. I don’t think so. Physical life has its consequences. There are activities, many good, clean fun like playing sports, that eventually harm our physical bodies. Physical punishment from God because of my sin? Oh, please no, I hope not. If God made me sick whenever I sinned, I shudder at the thought. No, I live in the grace of God. For that I pray that I never cease to be thankful, grateful, and try to live as an expression of thanks.