Useless Friends

Not that any of us need any of these, but you’ll find some in the Old Testament. The expression “Job’s Comforters” means exactly this, the word “comfort” being used in an ironical sense rather than a literal one.  The book of Job (pronounced “Johb”) is a philosophical study disguised as a play or drama. It is a reflection on the age old question of why bad things happen to good people. Job is presented as the man with everything; prosperous, right living, business owner, a family man. He is also a man of faith who has never put a foot wrong, either with God or man. A series of terrible disasters afflict Job, and he loses everything; business, wealth, property, children, and lastly his health is broken. In his loss, he is visited by three friends, who start off brilliantly (they sit in silence with Job in his suffering) but then as the book progresses the friends start to speak and everything goes downhill. They increasingly try to convince Job that the root of his problems is, in fact, him. Somehow, somewhere, Job must have sinned, and that his terrible situation is in fact his fault. Rather than being helped by their intervention, Job is broken by it. In some of the most colourful literature of the Scriptures, he rails against his so-called friends, the universe, the futility of his life, and the absence of God.

“Why did I not perish at birth?” (3:11) “Why is light given…to those who long for death that does not come? (3:21) “I loathe my very life.” (10:1) “Hide me in the grave…you destroy my hope.” (14:13,19) “My spirit is broken, my days cut short, the grave awaits me” (17:1) “If I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him.” (23:8)

Job’s desperation, and his insistence upon his own integrity, are resolved in the book not by any wisdom that his friends can offer, as “on trend” as it might be, but by a revelation from God, in the voice from the storm. (Ch 38-41) Job is proved right about his own integrity (none of it was his “fault”) but wrong about God and His relationship to the Universe (far far above your small imaginings…). The key to Job’s restoration is his repentance, not for any sin, but for his underestimation of the might and majesty of the Creator. More below…

Worship Services for Sunday 27th October

9.30am Holy Communion at St John’s Stoke Row with Revd Romey Poston

11am Holy Communion at St Peter and Paul, Checkendon with Revd Romey Poston.

Midweek zoom service: Wednesday Evensong at 5.00pm  410 935 129

Small Talk Saves Lives

While Job’s fictional friends provide an excellent case study in “how not to help” there are in fact simple and easy thing we can all do which could make each one of us a potential life saver. One such is to simply take notice of the people around you. Many of you will have been on a halted train, or been delayed in your journey because of  a “person on the railway line”. You may not be aware that over two hundred and seventy people chose to tragically end their lives on the main line railway network last year. The words of Job give us only a small glimpse into the anguish and torment of their different personal stories, and we can but imagine the trauma of the wider circles of friends, colleagues and family affected by the suicide. Happily we do live in a country where it remains socially acceptable to help others. Network Rail have been working with the Samaritans and other agencies to train staff, (and regular rail users too) to be aware of the signs of emotional distress and, by just starting a conversation, make a difference. Do have a look at this link, especially the video clips embedded in it, which are inspirational, and life affirming. Whist Job’s situation is hypthetical (and extreme) nevertheless we can probably all think of times when we wished we’d said something, or acted differently. It is a credit to everyone involved, both in the rail industry and the travelling public, that the number of deaths on our railway is far outweighed by the number of lives saved, and stories changed. All because someone said something, perhaps on the face of it very trivial, but which actually communicated “I’ve noticed you.”

May the Lord bless you, and keep you in his love.

Canon Kevin

PS There won’t be one of these next week – it is half term. Services for the 3rd November will be at the usual times at both Stoke Row and Checkendon. As a little musical bonus, how about this from Vilnius, Lithuania. It is a famous hymn, with music by a famous British composer, who is increasingly sung all across the world. When it comes to mental health, did you know that singing is one of God’s best self-help mechanisms?