Watch and Pray

Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation

Matthew 26:41

For the past few months the story of Job has really been pressing upon me. At first the first chapter. Then the ensuing chapters as Job and his "Friends" wrestle with what was happening and more importantly WHY it was happening.

The "why" part totally put them out of their element. They were all wrong. They knew nothing about why. They were familiar with the what; the facts of the case, but the motives they were blind to, in fact they were totally wrong about WHY this was happening to Job.

I think this is what God even directly implies this when he replies to Job:

Why do you confuse the issue? Why do you talk without knowing what you’re talking about? Job 38:1

And yet how often, in far less dire circumstances do I do this very thing: try and figure out why something is happening, or more importantly why someone is doing something. Almost all the time. I am not comfortable with not knowing why. I want to draw conclusions from what I know.

In fact I think that most of my problems in relationships stem from this very issue. How many times have I fought with my wife NOT over what she did, but why she did it. And how many times have I been wrong? Most of them.

I think that Jesus' advice is pertinent to this issue, perhaps the best way to deal with "why" things happen. Perhaps the only way to even get the slightest idea of what is going on - or gain the slimmest glimpse into another person's world -  is to watch and pray. In this way we may avoid temptation and sin.

Amen.