The God Who Cares

Read Job 15:1-35

It is difficult to miss the venom in Eliphaz’s second speech to Job. He sounds like a tenured theologian rebuking a soft undergraduate. Things like that happen at times, but when is the appropriate time to lecture someone on such matters? Listen to the malevolence in his voice: “Are you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?”

Wrapped up inside of Eliphaz’s theological brilliance though is an egregious misconception of the nature of God. On the one hand Eliphaz delineates beautifully the folly of the ‘godless’, a group of people that Job vehemently denies being a member of. The godless, says Eliphaz, ‘conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb fashions deceit.’ Certainly there is nothing inaccurate about this statement, for we know that evil people create evil or in the words of the New Testament: Invent ways of doing evil.

Then, on the other hand, he makes this remarkable statement: “If God places no trust in his holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes, now much less man, who is vile and corrupt who drinks up evil like water.” Actually, he made this statement before the statement above, but my point remains the same. Eliphaz seems to be saying that God does not care about any human being, much less those of us who are evil and godless. This, I believe, is a huge problem for his outlook. Job ought to just be quiet because God has no concern or care for sinful humans or the finer points of their lives. When we suffer we ought to just, in David Atkinson’s phrase, ‘simply repent, make your peace with him, and all will be well.’ (51)

I wonder if God is concerned about the finer points of our lives? Does God care when a professional athlete wins a competition? I have argued elsewhere that God does care when a professional athlete wins a competition, but that does not mean God does not care when another professional athlete loses. I believe that both sides have equally valid arguments to say that God is concerned about their particular performance. This is to say, how did the athlete who won behave, how did the one who lost behave? Both are still God’s children, and their attitude in either situation matters.

It may sound silly to say that God cares about the outcome of the Super Bowl or the World Series but I believe he does because he has children on both sides. Some will be winners, others losers; all will be God’s sons or daughters. As a dad I know that I am concerned with even the tiniest detail of my sons’ lives. There is nothing I do not want to know. I not only want to know I need to know. It is in the knowing that I am provided with the information I need to help them grow, mature, and be safe. God is no less of a dad than I am so I believe it is fair to say that God is equally concerned with the small, finer points of our lives. “Cast all of your cares upon Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5: 7)

Prayer Thoughts on Job 15:1-35

Contrary to popular thought God does care. He is not as silent as some people want us to believe. The presence of suffering or abysmal conditions does not mean the absence of God. Grace comes to us in our suffering; we are saved in the furnace. Pray today that you will see how God cares for you. Pray that He will help you minister to someone else in a similar situation.