Sunday, October 14, 2018

I Cry to God – Music Story

Job was caught in a storm of pain. He lost it all – his children, wealth, his health, reputation, his happiness. Job didn’t deserve this. He was a good man, blameless and upright, a man who worshiped God. So, Job vented angrily, why did God let this happen to him? Wasn’t God perverting justice by letting him suffer?

Now God was not put off by Job’s anger, bitterness, and complaints. God was there for him. He appeared to Job. He spoke to Job’s heart. God didn’t explain why. He asked Job to explain who and how. Who made it all, Job? You? Do you understand how God put it all together? Do you understand how God created the earth, the dry land, the water cycle? Do you understand how God carefully crafted each animal to thrive where he placed it? Job, are you wise enough to do this?

God's scarsJob couldn’t answer God’s creation questions. They exposed his ignorance and God’s wisdom. He realized there must be hidden circumstances, information about the past or future that Job couldn't know. That God didn’t share it didn’t matter because God was there for him. Job saw and heard God and that was enough. Job now realized he had made wrong assumptions about God’s goodness, love, and justice. He let go of his anger and bitterness. He withdrew his complaints.

Good people suffer, crushed by their circumstances. And, like Job, blame God. Where is God when it hurts? God is not put off by anger, bitterness, and complaints. God is here. He is with us. We see God and know what Job couldn’t. God bears the scars of appalling injustice and horrific pain. We hear him say that he bore those scars so we might live. Instead of explaining why we suffer, God wraps his scars around our weeping hearts.

Can you imagine how raw Job felt? From the musical The Majesty of the Maker! this video is scrolling playback of the song.
Kathy

Click here to download 50-page PDF of the musical: book, music in lead sheet format, lyrics.

Click here and here and here to read God’s creation questions.
You can get print (PDF) and/or digital (MusicXML™) sheet music for I Cry to God.
I Cry to God
Click here for print sheet music (lead sheet format).
Click here for digital sheet music.
(MusicXML™ is the standard open format for sharing digital sheet music. Check the help files in your music notation app for directions on importing MusicXML™ files.)