on honesty in church

Good afternoon friends,
As a reminder, we have our church chili supper and Halloween party tomorrow evening. We'll start serving chili at 4:30 so you can get home for tricker treaters, but you can also stick around and enjoy costumes and fun. The chili supper is $5 for adults and $3 for children under 12. If cost is a concern, please feel free to talk to me about tickets and I can help with that. These are great events to bring friends and neighbors!

Our reading for today wraps up the story of Job. We see Job recognizing how small he is compared to God. Even more important, we see God telling Job's friends that Job is right, not them. It turns out our questions and our doubts are welcome; God wants our real, honest selves, not a dressed up, fake cheerful picture.

God bless,
Sam

Job 42:1-9

Then Job answered the Lord: ²“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ³‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ⁴‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you declare to me.’ ⁵I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; ⁶therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

⁷After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. ⁸Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has done.” ⁹So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.