Reason and Experience Devo

February 26th, 2017  

Devotional

“Wesleyan Wisdom: Experience and Reason” - Job 23: 1-9, 16-17

Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com

Monday: “If Only I Could Find Him” - Job 23: 1-3

Job has been through more than one person should ever have to go through - he has lost his family, his fields, his home. He is ill. And in a culture where blessings are thought to be a sign of God’s favor and curses a sign of God’s displeasure - the little family and friends Job have left are trying to convince Job that he is being punished by God. Job doesn’t believe this, but he also doesn’t keenly feel God’s presence at this time. 

We all go through seasons when we feel closer to God and seasons when we feel distant. Our experiences and reason are important parts of our relationship with God and play a vital part in how we seek God’s wisdom and make decisions. However, the primary place we turn to measure our feelings is scripture. Job knew that he had not broken the covenant or violated scripture. He knew that he was not being punished for unconfessed sin, so he sought out God even harder. 

What role do experience and reason play in your faith journey?

What do you do when you feel distant from God? How do you seek out God?

Prayer: Jesus, we know that sometimes we don’t feel as close to you as we would like to. There are times when the distance seems like a chasm. Bridge the gap, Lord Jesus, and help us feel close to your Spirit again. Amen. 

Tuesday: “He Would Answer Me” - Job 23: 4-5

By this point in the book of Job, Job is distraught. He is feeling distant from God. He is starting to feel all the feels - the things that flutter up to the surface when we are stressed and don’t know what is going on or what to do. 

Job wants to seek out God with his questions. He has thought thru everything that he wants to say to God and wants to know what God’s answers to his deep “why?” questions will be. 

What I appreciate about Job is that he is not shying away from what he would like to say. Sometimes it is as if we feel that we need to make our words pretty when we pray or set our emotions aside. God wants us to seek him out with all we are - and not simply say what we think God wants to hear. I also appreciate that Job anticipates that God will answer. He believes that God will meet him in his need and God will respond. 

How do you pray to God when you are stressed or angry? Do you set your emotions aside? Why or why not?

Do you believe that God will respond to your prayers? Why or why not?

Prayer: Lord, help us to address you with all we are. Prevent us from praying the way we believe that we should and instead enable us to simply come before you as we are. Meet us in our hour of need, dear Lord, we pray. Amen. 

Wednesday: “ Delivered Forever” - Job 23: 6-7

Remember that at this point in the narrative, Job is surrounded by people who say that they care about him, but don’t believe what he is experiencing. Job is going through the worst that someone can go through, yet he knows deep in his heart that he has not sinned against God. His reason and experience are not matching what others are perceiving. They are judging him based on their beliefs about God instead of Job’s lived in experience.

Sometimes, we unknowingly belittle another person’s experience. Instead of just listening to what they are going through, we try to interject ourselves into their story by telling them what we think or what we have went through. 

Job knows that it is not the judgment of others but those of the righteous Judge. He believes that God will vindicate him and set him free forever. This became his hope and purpose in the midst of the doubts of his family and friends. 

Do you look to other people or God to judge you? Why?

How has God delivered you from what other’s think?

Prayer: Lord, we thank you that you are the only judge that matters. We thank you that you will set us free. Deliver us forever, we pray! Amen. 

Thursday: “I Can’t” - Job 23: 8-9

Job has a deep personal relationship with God, yet he cannot sense God’s presence in the midst of his trials. It’s as if everywhere he turns God is not there - Job cannot even catch a glimpse of God.

The hardest times to sense God are usually when we are going through a hard time that we cannot understand. Yet, it is exactly during those moments that God is walking right beside us, holding our hand. It is as if we are looking everywhere from God except for where God is - beside us. But Job keeps looking, keeps searching. He does not give up in discouragement, but instead continues to seek God’s face. 

How do you seek God in the midst of life’s trails?

Prayer: Lord, we confess that sometimes we focus on everywhere we think you should be instead of seeking you right where you are - beside us. Open our eyes, ears, and hearts, so we may perceive and follow your still small voice of love. Amen. 

Friday: “Made My Heart Faint” - Job 23: 16-17

Sometimes our experiences in life are not good. I have yet to meet someone who went through life untouched by sorrow, grief, pain, or heartache. It is very easy during these times to let our emotions take over our reason. We know in our hearts and heads that God loves us, yet we can end up shying away from God when life is difficult out of fear. 

Let us instead look to the totality of our faith journey - to scripture, tradition, reason and experience, instead of simply writing God off for what we are going through. Surely we should grieve our losses and feel our pain instead of ignoring it, but let us also not ignore scripture that tells us that God loves us and is for us, no matter what. 

Has there been a time when you have believed that God was not with you? Was this true? What made you recognize God’s presence?

Prayer: Lord, help us to trust you and turn to you in all experiences. Help us to seek your face and rely on the resources you have blessed us with - reason, experience, scripture, and tradition, in good times and in those that are difficult. Amen.

Saturday: Preparing for the Word

You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “Metamorphosis: The Radical Love of Christ” - Luke 18: 18-29

Family Activity: Talk about time when it is hard to feel God. What do you do when God doesn’t feel close? What reminds you that God is always with you?