Job

     Have finished reading Job in Portuguese for the second time. This is difficult because both Job and Jeremiah have a lot of different vocabulary that the other books of the Bible don't seem to have. Most of this book consists of speeches spoken by Job, his three "friends" and a younger man named Elihu. Beginning in chapter 38 God begins to ask Job a long series of questions- over one hundred by one person's count. These boil down to, "Who do you think you are, Job?" At the end Job repents and is restored.
     Last night Samir and I went to a meeting in a suburb of Porto Alegre that begins with the letter V. These believers have grown in numbers out of a home meeting. A young man named Rafael is their shepherd. His wife is just about to give birth. I spoke on the theme of the strong love of God. Weak love would not have suffered and died for His enemies, for those who have rebelled against Him. Weak love would not have borne the betrayal and desertion by his closest friends, false accusations, mock trials, torture, the agonizing physical death on the cross, bearing the sin and rebellion of all humanity, the righteous wrath of God upon all of that sin, and most painful of all- the turning away and separation by an infinitely holy God who cannot look upon sin. (Habakkuk 1:13) This last suffering gave rise to the cry of Jesus on the cross. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken  me?" (Matthew 27:46 cf. Psalm 22:1) Only strong, dependable, fierce love could endure this.
     Translation is difficult work for a person must think in two languages. So far i have broken in five people who had not previously translated. I do my best to speak slowly and clearly without jokes or slang, and am trying to think of visual ways to express things. Last night i was reminded of one of my favorite images of the Holy Spirit, that of a sculptor, and acted that out to show how God is working to change us to become more like Jesus. He uses the sledge hammer on me.