Job. The Bible says he is from the land of Uz, southeast of Israel. But actually, he is every nationality, every religion, every race. Job is every person who has ever suffered and demanded to know "why, God?"

Job is everything the conventional wisdom tradition said he would be given his blameless and upright living. He is wealthy, with just the right blend of camels, sheep, and donkeys. He is blessed with seven sons, and three daughters -- to the ancients, a perfect balance. Job has been blessed by God. Life is as it should be -- there is predictability, order. Peace.

Then Job loses it all. Property. Family. Health. Biblical tradition has called Job "patient." He is NOT patient. He is persistent, but not patient. Job protests his innocense, and demands and audience with God to right this wrong.

What Job does not and cannot know is what has happened in the heavenly council that has preceded his suffering. But we, the readers, know. We are given the privilege of being a fly on the proverbial wall, glimpsing the heavenly council. As the heavenly creatures gather before God, one them, known as ha-satan in Hebrew -- the Adversary or the Accuser or the Obstacle-- comes also. This is not the Satan of popular culture, or "the Devil." He is a shadowy member of the heavenly court, whose job seems to be roaming about, testing the motives of people. The Hebrew words ha-satan are used to describe the Philistine assessment of David in 1 Sam 29:4, and even of the "Angel of the LORD" being an obstacle, a ha-satan, to Balaam in Num 22:22.

God is in a good mood. He "brags" to ha-satan about Job. "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth..." We want to shout, "NO, GOD! Don't say that!" as if God has just put His divine foot in His mouth. "Does Job fear God for nothing?" the Accuser replies? "Oh no," we flies say, "that's what we were afraid of. Now God has gone and done it!"

Ha-satan raises one of those ultimate questions -- Is it possible for Job, who is everyman, to love and obey God simply because of Who God is? Or is our love and affection for God, is our obedience to God, simply the result of what God does for us and we don't want to tip the apple cart? If everything God does for me is taken away, can I still love God for Who He is?

God agrees that is a question worth answering. God wants to know, is Job -- who is every man, every woman -- able to say:

Though the cherry trees don't blossom
and the strawberries don't ripen,
Though the apples are worm-eaten
and the wheat fields stunted,
Though the sheep pens are sheepless
and the cattle barns empty,
I'm singing joyful praise to GOD.
I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God. (Habakkuk 3:17-18, The Message)

Are you?