Job 25.5-6 5 Behold, even the moon is not bright, and the
stars are not pure in his eyes; 6 how much less man, who is a maggot, and the
son of man, who is a worm!” (ESV)
Every Thursday, with few exceptions, I get together with a
group of men for coffee and conversation. I call it “Boy’s Club”. (The problem
with what I call it is when the Pastor of the Presbyterian Church – a lovely
lady named Katie – shows up.) But in my mind I still call it Boy’s Club. I’ve
done this since January of 2006.
Our group is comprised of church leaders from our
community and there are Baptists, Nazarenes, Pentecostals, Foursquare, and
Christian; and, well, me. (I think they feel sorry for me…) The conversation usually
covers a wide range of theological topics
including Ducks or Beavers football, hunting, fishing, and cattle ranching (the
guy who moderates the group has been a rancher for the last five decades so
there is usually the obligatory cow story…)
We usually conversationally wend around to talking about
God and the Church. (Most in the group pastor a local church.) This Thursday
past we talked about having a low view of God and a high view of self. And we compared
that tohaving a high view of God and a low
view of self. And then I read Bildad: “…how
much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!” Thanks Bil…
Bildad’s problem was he didn’t have a real view of God or
man. Actually I think he had a perverted view of both. What was hidden from
Bildad was a thing called relationship; and it’s obvious to me that Bildad had
a weird relationship with God. Bildad personifies the relationship many people have
with God. For one thing they always call Him God and rarely ever call Him Father;
and never, Daddy.
It’s hard for us to call Deity Daddy – it somehow makes
us very uncomfortable. But that is Who He is: Abba (Daddy). Our religious
nature in us never lets us let down our guard and see God for who He really is:
the Dad of all mankind; and our
Daddy. There is something offensive in that to the religious who don’t want to
get any closer to Gawd than is permissible, and so walls of defense (and
authority) are built to keep Him safely at a distance. Ask those who suffer where (and how) they find comfort in a distant God.
Bildad had a religious view of God and therefore felt he
was safe. But Bildad didn’t know how much God loved him and how much God wanted
to share life with him – that thought would’ve rocked Bildad’s world-view. He
was too busy being a maggot. (Or at least calling himself one.)
Daddy, I admit it is even uncomfortable to me but I am
going to force myself to have a real-view of You rather than a worldview of
You. I admit there’ve been times in my life where maggot might’ve described me, but You have come in and helped me
through all that. Help me now to draw closer to You and to see You for who You
really are, my Daddy, that I may glorify You and enjoy You forever. As weird as
it looks and feels and sounds, You’ve called me son and I thank You for that! Amen.
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