Events in today’s reading:

• Esther Made Queen (Esther 2)
• Hammon’s Plot to Destroy the Jews (Esther 3)
• Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help (Esther 4)
• Esther’s Request to the King (Esther 5:1-8)
• Mordecai Honored (Esther 7)
• Haman Executed (Esther 8)
• Introduction to Job (Job 1-2)

Verse that stood out: If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of men? Why have you made me your target? Have I become I burden to you? – Job 7:20

Early in this journey of reading the Bible through in 90 days, I admit that I was a little nervous about the whole thing. I knew people couldn’t read the Bible without having some serious questions. It’s not that the Bible doesn’t meet our expectations so much as the Bible turns our expectations on their heads. It’s just not the book we would write if we were put in charge of writing a holy book. For starters, God works in and through people who appear to be total scoundrels to the point that God himself starts to look guilty by association. On top of this scandalous narrative rests some rather simplistic commands. Trust God, do good and good things will happen to you. While this is generally true, it sure seems to leave a lot of life unexplained.

Which is why I like the book of Job so much. As the story of the Bible clips along, Job steps into the picture and says, “Now, wait a minute. You’ve been saying that if we do what we’re supposed to, if we obey God, if we choose life, we’ll be blessed. We’ll dwell in the land. We’ll be in fellowship with God. Well, that’s all and good except, it doesn’t always work that way.” Amen. Preach it brother Job.

The book of Job doesn’t end up were we might expect it would. Answers don’t come in the way we might like, but the questions do get asked. In the end, the questions themselves are validated as an important part of faithful living.

Want to be faithful today? Trust God, do good, and ask away.

For tomorrow:

• Cover to Cover: Job 6:16-23:17
• Key Passage: Job 9:32-10:7
• Verse of the Day: Job 9:32-34