Becoming Blameless...

I just spent this last weekend in Edinburgh, Scotland working for Furious Records and Fierce Distribution at the Christian festival Frenzy. I drove up on Friday with Thomas, a great guy who is very new to the company and in fact he hasn't even technically started. The drive to Scotland is, as you can imagine, a very long one - 9 hours and 40 minutes to be exact so we had quite a while to spend together. Over the course of the journey a range of subjects were discussed: Films (Dumb and Dumber), Hobbies (Triathlons - not mine) and Music (Thomas had never listened to Christian music even though his new career is all about marketing it.). The biggest subject we discussed however, was that of Christianity and faith. We took quite a theological approach to the conversation; exploring views on life after death, Catholicism and evolution. The subject I most took not on, which was new to me, was the aspect of Christianity of being blameless.

I've been a Christian for my whole life, gone to church as often as possible whether with or without family, however I've never really explored the Bible. This has been something I keep meaning to do though, like most things, it has been pushed to the back of my mind. Thomas suggested I look into the book and life of Job, a man who in the Bible is described as being

"Blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil." (Job 1:1).

Now this alone is quite an accolade - in the Bible there are only 3 people whom are described as being "Blameless" - the aspect of faith where belief is so strong that no matter what events occur in life, God is still praised.

The book begins with an event between God and Satan - Satan wishes to test man on the earth and is directed towards Job. God himself describes him, saying

"There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." (Job 1:8).

Satan continues to question the Lord asking:

"Does Job fear God for nothing? Satan replied. ¹⁰ Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. ¹¹ But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." ¹² The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.

Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD."
(Job 1:9-11).

To cut a long story short for the sakes of the blog, Satan carries out his actions, taking everything Job has - his "seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys" as well as his 10 children. His servants told the news of his loss; of nearly everything he had. Job, a man who had been wealthy and prosperous had now been robbed and left with nothing. When informed of this, the Bible says that:

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship ²¹ and said:
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised."

²² In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

(Job 1:20-22)

So, even after losing everything he owns and the children whom he loved did Job curse God, or even as verse 22 says, by blaming it on the Lord.

However, Job's problems were far from over - Satan, after killing and robbing him, still tries to break his faith. " ⁴ "Skin for skin!" Satan replied.

"A man will give all he has for his own life. ⁵ But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face."

⁶ The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life."

(Job 2: 4-6)

⁷ So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. ⁸ Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.""

(Job 2:7-8)

So now Job has unbearable physical pain as well as emotional - you'd think those left around him would show support towards him but no: his wife even says:

"Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"
(Job 2:9)

This seems like a crazy thing to be said though when actually thought about; is it? How many times can you think of when, not necessarily in a spiritual situation, has somebody suggested that you give up? This is really what Job's wife, and then later his friends, are trying to say. Not many of us go through what Job had to by losing everything though if you did - can you convince yourself that like Job you would drop to your knees and praise the Lord?

Spiritually, i think that getting to a stage in my faith where I am blameless, where even in the worst of times I drop to my knees in praise, is an interesting point to get to - I don't think I am at that place yet - though by all means want to be.

In the next week I'd express you to think about the Lord in tough times - and to express faith. Not just that but also praise - know and love the Lord your God so that in those times where you're not at your top form you can find God.

Job is a book which I have yet to fully read so thats why I have only put a small excerpt in - I would suggest reading it as it really depicts a life really living for God.

Josh.