1 Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
11 The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace. (Psalm 29:1-2, 10-11)
Reference Scripture: Job 38:39-39:12; 1 Corinthians 12:1-3
"Two kinds of suffering, two kinds of faith"
To be a true disciple of the Lord, "suffering" and "faith" are two indispensable training courses, and they complement each other. The Book of Job provides the best teaching material for these two subjects. God questioned Job about the wonder of creation and the specific character of the Leviathan. If you and I were asked the same questions, we will not be able to answer, right? Job humbly submitted to the Lord and said, "I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2)
The current generation is experiencing suffering brought about by covid-19. This pandemic has revealed both the good and evil side of mankind, and allowed us to instantly recognize who is good and who is evil. The world is made aware of which country has cloaked itself with lies and wickedness, and which nations have shown righteousness and goodness. As the world suffers, true sentiments are revealed. Amid the fickleness of human nature, many touching stories unexpectedly surface. Many front-line medical personnel show heart-warming humanity and "heroically" sacrifice themselves for the good of others.
Two kinds of suffering evoke different feelings, different reactions, different lessons. In Job’s case, God bore the burden with him. Throughout his suffering, God guided him step by step, telling him not to focus on himself, but to look at the world and nature, and more importantly, to focus on God. However, our current generation has not walked with God. In addition, because mandatory social distancing ordered by the government, they can be easily “influenced and led astray” (1 Cor. 12:2) because they are alone. As they experience stress and loneliness, mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression, can develop.
Job's "faith" is built on the foundation of God. He remains steadfast in the face of a storm, unshaken. In the end, God is glorified. The "faith" of the world is dependent on "mute idols" (1 Cor. 12:2), whether it is money, power, status, or false gods, etc., the foundation of their faith is built on sand, and will crumble during a storm.
"The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever." (Ps. 29:10) Throughout the pandemic, God remains sovereign. In Psalm 29:2, God's demands that man "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness". What God asked of man — “despise himself and repent in dust and ashes”— Job fulfilled. He had heard of God before his sufferings, but now he had seen God with his own eyes. God was so pleased with him that He called him "my servant." "The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace." (Psalm 29:11)
Faith can be "static" or "dynamic". For example, if you believe that the Bible contains many treasures, you must act on your belief, open the Bible and study it carefully. The Book of John is a very unique book. The author attaches great importance to acting out "faith", so whenever the word "faith" appears, it is meant to be a word of action. When you believe, it must be true and complete, and more importantly, know who you believe in. Is it your idol, or is it the one true God, our Lord Jesus Christ?
There is a Chinese saying, "good medicine always taste bitter but yields good health." Similarly, "suffering" may leave a bad taste in your mouth, but it is the best medicine that yields "faith".