Haven't you?

"There was once a man in the land of Uz whose named was Job." So the story begins. Job was a man who had everything of which you would ever dream: a profitable business, a family, a home that was more than likely top notch, and on and on his success story goes. And on top of all of that he was one who sought first to be "blameless and upright" in the eyes of God. But then a number of tragedies hit. His property was stolen and his children were all killed in an accident. His wife calls him crazier than a loony bird for sticking with God and up front he does so, but later he goes on to even challenge God for allowing all the tragedy to occur to him when he had continuously striven to love and serve God alone!

I have seen such an unexplainable tragedy so many times. Haven't you?

If you want to read a book that gives all the answers that reasons out the meaning or purpose of tragedy the biblical book of Job does not directly do so. Yet, I am reading it again not to search for answers to that insistent question, "Why?" but to just experience again all the answers that the human family offers to tragedy which, by the way, God challenges in Job's story.

God never clearly answers Job's question, "Why?" In the end God's way of answering (if you want to call it that) is to show Job all the universe and, in my own words, say this: 'Job, do you understand all of the universe? Well, if you don't understand the universe you won't understand my answer to "Why?"'

Perhaps, perhaps, God is pushing me, and maybe you as well, to ask a different question about our suffering:

"Lord God, now that this has happened to me (us), what on earth do you want me (us) to do?"

See you tomorrow!