Wednesday, July 07, 2010

When Life Hinders Meditation

When Life Hinders Meditation, Job 15:1-4

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
2 "Should the wise answer with windy knowledge,and fill themselves with the east wind?
3 Should they argue in unprofitable talk, or in words with which they can do no good?
4 But you are doing away with the fear of God, and hindering meditation before God.
5 For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty.
The material below is from “A Year With God,” by Dr Richard Foster.
In this passage job’s friend Elipaz, accuses Job of “hindering meditation before God.”
He argues that Job has no right to question God, that such talk is “unprofitable.” Listening, quiet ruminations before God, would be a better way to deal with Job’s situation, he seems to be saying. But the central problem for Job is that God will not talk to him, will not explain to him why this disproportionate suffering has been visited upon him. The silence of God is a theological problem in the book of Job. We honor the mysteries of God by allowing our confusion, anger, hopelessness, and grief to mount along with Job’s as the book develops.
Has there ever been a time in your life when what one person said or did seemed to hamper your ability to meditate on the things of God or talk with God?
God, there are times when I feel that you will not talk to me, to explain to me why I feel a certain way or why a certain thing has happened. Lord, help me to keep asking, to keep opening my heart to you and asking you to shape it. In your name I pray, Amen.

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