Friendship

I was reading Job 29 today.  Job is getting to the end of his debating with his friends and he makes this statement "I long for the years gone by when God took care of me, when he lighted the way before me.....the friendship of God was felt in my home."  I got to thinking about this and how we feel when God seems to be distant.  I was also reflecting on my brief time as a parent and that a former pastor on mine once said that God leads with a lamp not a flood light.  With a lamp, you must stay close to the one leading exactly the opposite with a flood light.  

Taking these random thoughts and knowing the outcome of Job, I am convinced that God is in the process of moving us from the flood light to the lamp.  He does this so we stay close -- so we really experience who he is.  And, this can only be done abiding in him in close proximity.  If he lead us with a flood light we would never need to be close.  God could shine the flood light on your life.  But, he loves you too much to do that.  He wants a relationship with you.  As parents, we want to experience life with our children.  But, even at 3.5  years they think they can do it "all by myself."  So, there are times, when I am silent and withdraw from JT.  Not to be mean.   No, not at all.  I  do it because I really want to have a relationship with him and the love that a 3.5 year old can give.  Some times I have to draw it out of him to move closer to him.  And, normally it works.  Sometimes it has backfired.  Other times circumstances by themselves do it.  And, I am thankful for those.  But, the point is I want a relationship and will do what it necessary to nurture it.  

So, here's the point for me.  If I, not having complete wisdom or knowledge do that, how much more would my heavenly father?  And, so, Job's desire for friendship and guidance and his appeal to go make sense to me.   Of course, knowing the ending helps.  Since the stories in the Bible are there to help us understand how God relates to us, next time God seems distant and you feel like Job, tell him you want to go deeper with him.  He'll be happy; I know I would if JT said that.