Job 30, 31 and Matthew 13:31-58
Today’s reading wasn’t really as explosive as yesterday’s. Today it seemed kind of odd, not really all together.
In Job 30, Job is talking about all these things that he did that ever made him worth anything to anyone. He was quite the man. Then in chapter 31, he starts complaining. Its intense complaining, too. I got tired of it pretty quick. It was really a difficult passage to read. He’s arguing with God– if he’d done bad things in his life (anything), he would be more accepting of this punishment, this discipline. But he didn’t. He didn’t do anything to deserve this. So he’s sort of crying and whining to God to just kill him or something so this will all go away and he will be in heaven. His grumbling then stops and he listens.
Matthew 13 then continues where it left off yesterday. In fact, Jesus explains the parable of the Weeds, for which I was grateful. It means that both good and bad people exist in the world, but the day will come when angels come in and throw the bad ones into the fire where they belong. Then the good people will shine so bright, because they won’t be tainted in any way.
The passage that really stuck out to me was the parable of Hidden Treasure. A man finds a buried treasure in a field. He covers it up, then runs off and sells everything he owns in order to buy the field. I think this is about the value of my relationship with Jesus. It is worth everything I own. And it’s worth giving all of it up. The man was filled with joy.
I think Job is teaching me that it doesn’t matter who I am or what I’ve done, because Jesus loves me just the same. And Matthew is teaching me that this life of worship is so worth it. I will not be disappointed here.
Lord, thank you for being faithful even when I don’t see you. Thank you for giving me good and bad things even when I don’t deserve it. Help me to keep on loving you this way. You are all I want, all I need. You are everything. Thank you for your Word and your teaching. I love you, Jesus.
