Caffeinated Crunchy Christian Moms

Read: Job 29-30

In Job 29, we see a picture of the life that Job once had. He was blessed, respected, and known for the way that he cared for others. We know those blessings didn’t just come randomly; they flowed from a life that was faithful to God. Then, in the middle of everything being taken from him, you feel the weight of what he remembered. As he recounted his life, I don’t think he was trying to prove his worth or earn God’s love.

“I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them. The one who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing.” -Job 29:12–13

“I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger.” -Job 29:15–16

Job loved people well. Not to get something in return, but because that’s who he was. He loved others because he loved God.

At this point, everything had been stripped away, and Job still loved God. That’s exactly what Satan doubted, that Job’s faith was only there because his life was good, because he was blessed. But Job proved that his love was never transactional.

It makes me think about how we love and serve too. Yes, we’re called to give, to serve, to care for others, whether that’s through big things or small, seen or unseen. But the heart behind it matters so much more than the action(s) itself. Real love doesn’t keep score.

I see this idea so clearly in motherhood. I don’t love my children because they give me something back. I don’t love them now so that one day they’ll repay me. Honestly, most days, especially with two littles, it feels like I’m pouring out constantly with very little in return. But I love them because they’re mine. Even in the hard moments, even when I’m frustrated or exhausted, that love doesn’t go anywhere. I would lay my life down for them without hesitation, not because of what they do, but simply because of who they are to me. And that?? That kind of love points us straight back to God. Because that’s exactly how He loves us.

Jesus laid His life down for us, not because He was gaining something, but because of love. We are the ones who received everything through that sacrifice. Forgiveness, grace, eternity with Him. As Christians, we’re called to reflect that kind of love to others; to love people, even strangers, without expecting anything in return.

We read of a shift in Job 30. The same man who was once honored is then mocked and rejected.

“But now they mock me, men younger than I … they spit in my face.” -Job 30:1, 10

Job is hurt by this. I know I would be. He faced the humility of going from being respected to being looked down on. Most importantly though, Job didn’t want to be rejected by God.

“I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me.” -Job 30:20

What he wanted was not status or the blessings. Job wanted that closeness with God. The feeling of being near to Him, of being seen and known and held by Him.

We know though that God’s love never left Job; not for a second.

In Job’s pain and confusion, he was still fully loved by God. That didn’t change, even if everything else did.

That love? That’s the kind of love that remains. The kind that says, “I love you, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” I recently heard that line in a movie I’m watching and would recommend, Soul on Fire. It’s based on the true story of John O’Leary, a boy who survived a near-fatal burn accident. At just nine years old, one mistake resulted in burns over 100% of his body and left him with a 1% chance of survival. In the midst of burning down his family home, enduring unimaginable pain, and spending months in the hospital, his father simply loved him. When he could have responded in anger, he chose love and grace instead. He chose to forgive the mistake and not hold it against his son.

The movie has a foundation of faith and highlights John’s story of hope and resilience. What stood out most to me is that kind of love. Love that isn’t based on performance, what you bring to the table, or whether you get it right or wrong. It’s just love. And isn’t that what we all long for? To be fully known and still fully loved. Thank you, God, for loving me amidst all of my shortcomings and imperfections.

Job still chose God even when things didn’t make sense. And of course, God still chose Job … he just didn’t fully know it. Even when it feels quiet, even when it feels like God is distant, or life doesn’t look the way that you thought it would, His love has not moved. It has not weakened or left you. It is still steady and constant. Still yours.

Discussion Questions

1. Have you ever found yourself loving or serving with the expectation of something in return? What would it look like to release that and shift your mindset?
2. Have you experienced a season where God felt distant? How does it change things to know His love never actually left?

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