Job: The Struggle

Gustavo Gutiérrez uses the word “God-Talk” in his book On Job: God-Talk and the Suffering of the Innocent. Theology s God-Talk. Prayer is God-Talk. The way we talk to and about God is our God-Talk. We all do God-Talk.

The creator of Job structured the story in such a way that we, the “audience”, are listening in on other people’s God-Talk. This week, we listened in on the dialogue between Job and his friends, which goes on for 24 chapters!! That’s a lot of God-Talk! 

The friends try to diagnose the reason for Job’s suffering—surely he is a sinner, for God rewards the just and punishes the unjust. Job, in agony, protests his innocence and lodges a complaint against God, who seems to have abandoned him. As the chapters unfold, Job gets more desperate in his self-defence, while his friends get more strident, accusing him of blasphemy. In the end, God appears. We find out God has been listening in on the conversations too, and that God is not pleased with the rigid God-Talk of Job’s friends who misrepresent God’s heart for those who suffer. God rebukes the God-Talk that appears orthodox, while vindicating Job.

Gutiérrez affirms Job and offers him as a model for how we can talk to God and about God, with sincerity and faith, even in the face of suffering. We don’t have to parrot the God-Talk of our day. We can wrestle with God, lament, complain, cry out, and argue with God, finding our own authentic words as an act of faithfulness.

Gutiérrez also uses Job to define what authentic God-Talk will sound like. Authentic God-Talk is humble, honours mystery over certainty, enters into the human experience of suffering with compassion, expresses solidarity with those who are marginalized, poor, and oppressed, manifests God’s presence rather than defends abstract concepts, and is inseparable from a commitment to justice. Authentic God-Talk will seek to liberate, advocating for systems and structures that uphold human dignity, alleviate suffering, and protect life on this planet.

As Job challenges the simplistic views of his friends, authentic God-Talk will challenge the theological perspectives when they invalidate those who suffer and justify oppression.

There is a lot of God-Talk going on in our world. Eighty percent of white evangelical Christians voted for Trump, who promised them in his campaign that they would be granted power like they have never had before. They think that Trump is ordained by God and divinely appointed for such a time as this.

Once again, we are cast in the role of listeners, listening in on their conversations about what they say it means to be Christian. Their God-Talk might be loud. But it is not authentic.

Job and Gutiérrez remind us what authentic God-Talk, authentic theology and authentic prayer sounds like, and what we are hearing right now is not it. 

Job and Gutiérrez invite us to find our own honest, raw, authentic God talk, and with courage, enter the conversation, speaking out wherever we have the chance to do so. 

We are not the only ones listening. God is also listening to our God-Talk. God has a vested interest in how we represent God, has strong opinions on the matter, and will be engaging with us.

I look forward to our final week of this three-part series, in which we look more deeply at this personal encounter between Job and God.

Deep peace and blessing,

—Anne

Rev. Anne Baxter Smith
Pastor, Southpoint Church

Our Benediction for this Job series, written by Madison:

When nothing makes sense,
When expectations are confounded
When pain is near and despair approaches
When life’s lens blurs, and
Does not resolve into focus—
May you know God’s presence—even here.

Sun Dec 1   Christie Goode
You Are A Blessing Luke 1:26-38, Isa 43:1-7

Sun Dec 8 Anne Baxter Smith
We Don’t Go Alone Ruth 1, Eccl 4:9-12

Sun Dec 15 Anne Baxter Smith
Do the Good That’s Yours To Do

Sun Dec 22 Anne Baxter Smith
Hope is Worth the Risk Matthew 1:18-25/Luke 1:46-55

Tue Dec 24 Anne Baxter Smith
Christmas Eve Service, 4:00 pm
Love Knows Your Name Matthew 1:18-25/Luke 1:46-55

Sun Dec 29 ALL OUT
10:00-11:30 Annual Skating Party!
No service in the Sunnyside building

New to Southpoint?

At Southpoint, it all begins with God’s love. Just as a plant grows, it receives sunshine, so we grow as we receive God’s love. At Southpoint, we are growing in our capacity to love God, ourselves, one another, and Creation.

We seek to be a community of grace that is intentional yet organic, spacious yet authentic, grace-filled yet accountable. * We are fully welcoming. *

We encourage relationships rather than run programs, yet we recognize the importance of intentionality and structure as we nurture life together.

As a community, we seek to put our love in action. We value helping out on Sunday mornings, sharing food, and showing up in hard times. We keep our church life simple so folk have time to build relationships with family, friends, and neighbours. We encourage folk to serve in tangible ways within the wider community. We rent space rather than own a building, allowing us to do more with less, supporting missions at home and abroad.

Curious to know more?

These six slides express what motivates our ministry (best viewed on a monitor). Here’s the bio of our Pastor, Rev. Anne Baxter Smith.

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