Today's Readings and Stuff --- Saturday, 11 August 2018

Saturday has arrived. 
I still don't have a good understanding of the "body count" from last night's "celebration" of the weekend, the type of Friday night activities that have become so much a part of the "culture" these days.  "Culture" resembling all too closely the "culture" that a biologist might grow in a Petri dish.  The image is gross, but it fits. 
It didn't help that during the afternoon rush hour, a VERY heavy rainstorm hit the southeast section of the county south of us, not far from where I lived as a teen.  Lots of flooding, including flooded basements, at least one with collapsed foundation walls, lots of cars with water damage, lots of other stuff too.  No loss of life insofar as I am aware right now.  And, yes, the storm drain system in that area "provides a great opportunity for a continuous improvement project". meaning it wasn't very good in design and worse in upkeep.  Typical.

Today has been one of those "command performance" (meaning mandatory attendance) family days, as will be the case tomorrow as well.  Without a huge amount of explanation, Niece is the coach for a gang of young girls who are involved in an activity loosely associated with a local school.  Today is a "summer fest" in the wide place in the road for that unincorporated township, a fest put on by a local church, and the Little Ones, our great-nieces, were on a float in the parade for that fest, so we were under strict orders to attend.  We did.  Sat on our canvas chairs in the hot sun, waited for two hours for the 60 seconds or so that the float was in our eyes, waited another 90 minutes for the Little Ones to come by so we could congratulate them, and then leave.  Came home worn out.  The walk was the most that Wife has walked in months.  So she's done in. 
But that's not enough.  No, we need to leave here around 11:00 tomorrow to go Across The Line to a park for the one great-niece's 7th birthday bash.  Why this had to be during normal church service hours I leave to your imagination, the child's mother is a determined atheist which might play a part in this.

So I'm not in my best mood today.  Sorry.  I guess some day this will all make sense.  Some day.  Probably not today.

Lots of that going around, part of the human condition.
Which leads us to the reading of the day, chapters 3 and 4 of Job.
This is the kind of thing that the "wealth and prosperity preachers" don't like to get into.  Makes them, and us, uncomfortable.
(By the way, have you ever run into someone whose parents named "Job"?  Me neither.  I've actually run into a "Delilah" -- my one brother's ex-wife -- and have heard of a Jezebel or two.  But nobody named Job.  Probably a reason for that).
Job is, understandably, asking "WHY??".  Can't blame him for that, I'd ask it as well.

Job 3

1After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

2And Job spake, and said,spake: Heb. answered

3Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.

4Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

5Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.stain: or, challengelet the…: or, let them terrify it, as those who have a bitter day

6As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.let it not be…: or, let it not rejoice among the days

7Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.

8Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.their…: or, leviathan

9Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:the dawning…: Heb. the eyelids of the morning

10Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.

11Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

12Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?

13For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,

14With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;

15Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

16Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.

17There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.weary: Heb. wearied in strength

18There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.

19The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.

20Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;

21Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;long: Heb. wait

22Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?

23Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?

24For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.I eat: Heb. my meat

25For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.the thing…: Heb. I feared a fear, and it came upon me

26I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.

Job 4

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?to…: Heb. a wordwithhold…: Heb. refrain from words?

3Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.

4Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.

5But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

6Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?

7Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

8Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

9By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.by the breath…: that is, by his anger

10The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

11The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.

12Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.secretly: Heb. by stealth

13In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,

14Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.came…: Heb. metall: Heb. the multitude of

15Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:

16It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,there…: or, I heard a still voice

17Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

18Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:and his…: or, nor in his angels, in whom he put light

19How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?

20They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.destroyed: Heb. beaten in pieces

21Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.