Do you know the story of Job? If not, here is the simple version of the story. Job is a good man, however the devil comes to God and says that Job is only good because Job has been blessed with family, money, and good health. And so a heavenly bet is made that if these things were taken away from Job, he would curse God.

And so, Job's children and his wealth are gone, but he does not curse God. Then Job is stricken with terrible sores on his body. His wife says that all is lost, and Job should just curse God and die, but he will not.

Then, worse still, Job's friends come to him and share their "theology". Job must have done something wrong, or else why would God punish him. Job protests against their suggestion, claiming his innocence. To this, they reply, "See, see ... you are too proud to admit it. Your pride is a sign of your sin." So much for the help of these well intentioned friends.

The story of Job rises to a climax when Job, although not cursing God, comes very close. He cries out to God to come out of heaven so Job can accuse him of wrong towards Job. Job wants to put God on trial for wronging him.

And to Job's surprise, God answers him. Well, more accurately, God response to Job's challenge with a three chapter reminder to Job of what God has done. He asks Job, "Were you there when I created the universe. Were you there when I made life upon the earth. Do you give the animals their food, and ensure the birth of new animals." God goes on for three chapters recounting what God has done and is up to in the world. God reminds Job that there is much more going on than just Job's suffering.

Job has questioned God as to why a good man like him suffers. And God has questioned Job as to Job's abilities to be the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. To this Job replies;

My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.
Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

How strange it is that neither God nor Job really answers the question put to them. Job tells God of the story of his life, and then God giving Job a glimpse of the divine story. God does not tell Job why the good suffer and Job does not respond to God's showing Job a piece of what God's life is like. Job glimpses the glory of God's activities; Job hears a few chapters of God's story, and ends his accusation.

My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.
Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

Listen to Job, my ears heard, but now my eyes see. Gone is his making his own story the centre of his life, with God as an add on. Isn't this what many do; I know I do. I, Me, Jim, Rev. Love, Myself, that often is the reference point for my life. Perhaps I am more narcissistic than most, perhaps not.

Not everyone is self centred, certainly some, especially women sacrifice their story for others who would take it. They lose themselves to the desires and authority of others. Either by giving it away or by having it taken. The results are different, but the effect is the same. God is no longer the centre of the story.

Humanity itself, at least in the West has made itself the centre of reality; we call it secular humanism, or just secularism, that God's actions in the world are ignored, belittled, or old fashioned. Humans thought by getting God out of the picture, we'd put an end to religious wars, only to find ourselves shocked by Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Soviet Union, and Pol Pot's Cambodia. Human's don't need to evoke the name of God to justify their violence against one another, the last century shows that.

It also shows us more and more how we are not God. The collapse of God's creation on earth, is certainly a sign to us that something is wrong with the story of humanity. That in disconnecting God from being at the centre of our vision, there is a breakdown of relationship with the non-human world.

The non-human world; the plants, the animals, the earth. These are the things that God reminds Job about in his response to Job's concerns about his own suffering. God reminds Job that there is more going on that just him. Perhaps God even reminds humanity that the Creation had value and worth, long before humanity was created. God ensured that the Hippo's played in the rivers, that the whales swam in the sea, and that the goats gave birth on the mountains. And Job replies;

My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.
Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

After meeting God, what a change in Job. He goes from accusation of God, to despising himself. He repents in dust and ashes. But notice something important. God does not condemn Job. God does not despise Job. But what does happen is the Job changes when he encounters God.
Gone too, is it not, is Job's anger at his losses. I doubt his pain is gone; certainly the pain of losing children does not ever go away; nor has his physical pain go. But Job is changed; healed?

And, without Job asking, God blesses Job with more than what the devil had taken from him. Health, not just health but fullness of years; Job lives 140 more year; a whole new life and more. And children, many of them, with grandchildren. His daughters being the most beautiful, and his sons strong and faithful. And wealth; not just wealth but in such abundance it can be showered upon others.

Job presents his life before God as an accusation, and God presents God's life before him as a blessing. The restoration of Job seems an unexpected blessing to Job; he admit he deserves nothing but dust an ashes.

The question as to why the good suffer is never answered in the story; it remains a mystery. However another mystery is revealed; Why is it that, even in the face of humanities accusations, and even condemnations of God, there still is blessing in the world? Undeserved blessings too. It is not a mystery we often ask; "Why have you blessed us still O God, even though humanity has shown itself to be dust and ashes?" The is the other side of the coin; the other side of the question as to why the good suffer.

It is the question revealed to us in Jesus Christ most of all. God come in flesh, he healed the sick, welcomed the outcast, forgave the sinner, challenge false authority, and lived the truth of God. He came not to condemn us but to bring us life and even eternal life. He was condemned and we abandoned him in his hour of need. And yet, were human wisdom would think that God would destroy humanity for its offense, instead Jesus was raised on the third day, came amongst the people as they gathered on Sunday and spoke a word of peace. "Peace be with you."

What a Divine mystery is the nature of God's love. For not only does God offer salvation for the undeserving, but blessings as well, and not only blessings, God welcomes us; you and me to share in this life of Divine Love. To become part of the story of God's Kingdom that is unfolding. To become one with Christ, in baptism, that we might be the body and blood for the world. People like us; dust and ash people, made new through the power of God's Loving Spirit. AMEN.

Call to Worship
Divine Love, the Word made flesh,
has called us to worship today.
Come and see who God is;
rejoice and be glad for the goodness God has shown us in Jesus Christ.

Confession

You know how we each came to know about you. You know the people whom you put in our path that we might glimpse your love in Jesus Christ. You opened us to a new reality and new way of life. You called us to change direction in our lives and to follow Jesus; To become the church and witness to God's mysterious love.
And yet, when the pain and suffering of life closed in on us; or when the insane busy-ness of our capitalist society sapped our energies; or when the selfish spirit of the age gained a foot-hold in our lives; we traded your Divine story for our own. We exchanged your Divine spirit for our own little spirits, and when our spirits ran out, we discovered nothing was left but dust and ashes; And of course your Holy Spirit, every present, ready to call us back to centre our lives in the Divine Mystery of the Holy Trinity which is God.

Assurance

Mary proclaimed the truth as the conception of our Lord Jesus Christ, that God is at work lifting the poor out of the dust. And Jesus lived this truth, lowering himself into the suffering, pain and evil of life, so that he could lift those who wish it into a new reality; into the Kingdom of God. Ours is a God who comes not to condemn but to bring new life to any who would seek it, and to give power not just for living a human life, but the power to share in the Divine life of God in Jesus Christ.

Offering

Mysterious and Loving Creator,
You who came in Jesus the Word made flesh,
You, the Holy Spirit, Holy Wind which blows in unexpected directions;
Out of the blessings you have given us we offer back a portion of what you have given
as a sign of our gratitude. As a sign of our commitment to place you and your story at the centre of our lives. As a sign that we proclaim that it is your power, and you alone which gives true life and eternal life. In the name of the Holy Trinity, One God, now and forever. AMEN.