Job 11:11

For He knows the false, He sees their sin,

   Though He seems not to notice.

 

Superbowl Sunday. I went to the store before church to get the Rotel and chips for our contribution to the snack regime for the party. I remember when we were younger and went to big parties to watch the game. Or at least I did. Until the games were not worth watching, then I would talk to people. I once went to a game party to watch the commercials. I heard nothing and decided that was not worth doing. We stayed home once, but that was too boring. Its funny that restaurants even close so people can host parties. The negatives from Gladiator come rushing to mind.

“False” was also “those who are worthless”, “deceitful men”, “vain me”, or “the empty folk”. Worthless seemed a very likely option, but I chose false for the breadth it has in my mind. “Knows” was also “is well acquainted” or “recognizes”. I liked “is well acquainted”, but went with the more familiar knows as God is all knowing. “Sin” was “iniquity”, “evil”, “wickedness”, “wrong”, or “wrong doing”. Sin seemed all encompassing.

The second stitch had:

• • Will He not consider it
  • Does He not take note
  • Will He then not consider it
  • Also will He not then consider it
  • Does He not discern it
  • Could He look the other way
  • Surely takes note
  • Thought He pretends not to notice

I really did not like the whole pretends not to notice. I equally was appalled at the does He not discern it. My rendition was my own and I think it captures the truth that God is all knowing and does take note of our sin, but he choses not to act in haste so that we might eventually find the forgiveness being offered.

In the sermon today, the pastor worked from a verse in Romans that has the similar sentiment as a verse I am working in Job – that God is awesome and we are to worship Him. One key phrase when talking about tatoos was “God owns you.” The intent was that the prohibition in the Old Testament against tatoos was about marks that aligned one with a false religion. There is no prohibition against marks that align you with God, but it seems any such mark has to be so obvious as to not need explanation or it might not be following the call of God.

I read an article about Amazon and the giant push to sell things from faceless sellers from China. The article made it seem that Amazon was simply using the individuals in China to overtake the bulk of ecommerce, and the use of market dominance over regular brands would then lead to enough profit to cut out all the low quality crap that got Amazon to global dominance in the first place. (One Superbowl ad was a direct competitor to Amazon in the cheap Chinese crap.)

I recently bought a tv from Amazon that was cheaper than the exact same thing elsewhere. I have also bought specific cheese, meat, and cat products for the same reason. Why go to the grocery if I know the quality of the product and the price or convenience is worth using Amazon? I might be using Amazon the way that makes them more money, but if I get what I want, should I care?

God sees our sin and does not often immediately take us form this world. It has happened, and its happening was discussed in the Bible, but rarely does it appear that physical death accompanies sin in God’s grand plan. Amazon has a big plan, and maybe it does not work out great for me in the end, but I am not competing with them and am not risking going under by not addressing the myriad of possible negative outcomes. God has a big plan and I know it works out great for me in the end, but I already have salvation and am not risking eternal damnation. That is the hope that I want everyone to have, and I want to do what I can to help them do so. Even if no one seems to notice.

(Written 2/12, Posted 2/13, Job 241)