Altogether Vain
Let my enemy be as the wicked, and let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous. For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off, when God takes away his life? Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him? Will he take delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times? I will teach you concerning the hand of God; what is with the Almighty I will not conceal. Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves; why then have you become altogether vain?
Job 27:7–12
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Altogether Vain
All too often in our culture we relegate God to a position of a luck rabbit’s foot or some sort of cosmic genie we can keep in a bottle to just call upon when we need something. Job asks his friends if this is who the wicked react. “Will he take delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times?” In other words, do the wicked live their lives in communion with God, to they call upon Him in all cases, to pray, praise and give thanks? Or do the wicked merely view God as an end to a means when it comes to getting out of trouble or to gain an earthly treasure? The implied response is that they do just that. God is placed on a shelf to be forgotten about until they decide He can be of use. This is the vanity of the wicked. They assume they don’t always need God. We often fall prey to this way of thinking and acting. Especially when blessings are abundant. We forget to give all the glory to God. We puff ourselves up and are altogether vain. Yet Jesus teaches us another way. We are not to look inward for comfort, but outward to the cross. In faith we cling to the cross constantly. In faith we daily remember our Baptism so the Old Adam in us is drown. And in everything we turn to God. For He is and always will be the source of every blessing, and the refuge from every storm.
Job 27:7–12
+
Altogether Vain
All too often in our culture we relegate God to a position of a luck rabbit’s foot or some sort of cosmic genie we can keep in a bottle to just call upon when we need something. Job asks his friends if this is who the wicked react. “Will he take delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times?” In other words, do the wicked live their lives in communion with God, to they call upon Him in all cases, to pray, praise and give thanks? Or do the wicked merely view God as an end to a means when it comes to getting out of trouble or to gain an earthly treasure? The implied response is that they do just that. God is placed on a shelf to be forgotten about until they decide He can be of use. This is the vanity of the wicked. They assume they don’t always need God. We often fall prey to this way of thinking and acting. Especially when blessings are abundant. We forget to give all the glory to God. We puff ourselves up and are altogether vain. Yet Jesus teaches us another way. We are not to look inward for comfort, but outward to the cross. In faith we cling to the cross constantly. In faith we daily remember our Baptism so the Old Adam in us is drown. And in everything we turn to God. For He is and always will be the source of every blessing, and the refuge from every storm.
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