Old Testament reading: Job 15-17
“Well if that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black.” Eliphaz rejoins the discussion and intensifies the attack on Job, saying, “Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind? Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or by speeches with which can do no good?” (15:2-3). However, the content of his attack describes his own actions to the Nth degree! Job’s response rebukes the whole lot of them, “Miserable comforters are you all!” (16:2). In keeping with an earlier thought on how our words can fail to comfort, it is appropriate that we here consider that not only have Job’s companions indicted him as being a sinner, they have also indicted God as the source of Job’s loss and misery. They were terribly wrong on both counts. We must be very careful when speaking concerning what we believe to be God’s will. For example, when a child is stillborn or an infant or child dies by reason of disease or disaster, “It was God’s will” is NEVER the appropriate response! How dare we make the God of Heaven the architect of such sorrow and misery! May we never be such miserable comforters!
New Testament reading: Mark 1-2
Today’s reading illustrates the urgency of following Jesus. When called by Jesus, Simon and Andrew “immediately left their nets and followed Him” (1:18). In like fashion, James and John immediately quit their jobs, left their father and his hired servants, and began to follow Jesus (1:20). They did not discuss terms or potential pitfalls, neither did they consider the hardship their decision would create for their father and his livelihood. Finally, Matthew was also at work when Jesus called him. He left the tax collector’s office and followed Jesus (2:14). The call of Matthew is particularly interesting as publicans were considered as the “scum” of Jewish society, universally hated by the common man and the clergy. Matthew certainly breaks this mold in his willingness to forsake what was a lucrative living, leaving all to follow Jesus. All these manifest the conditions of discipleship as given in Luke 14:33, “Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has and follow Me cannot be my disciple.”
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