Reflect:
Job 38:1-4
Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth…?”
God has been silent for thirty-five chapters as Job and his friends have presumed to speak for the Almighty (Job 3-37). During their conversation, Job, understandably, has posed some serious questions about his unspeakable pain and suffering, wanting to know why these tragedies have happened and where God has been during it all.
Finally, God breaks his silence (Job 38-40) and gives Job what he has requested: A personal hearing. Job has finally secured a session with the Almighty to defend his innocence and interrogate the One who should have kept him, such a worthy man, from this hardship and heartache. But, it doesn’t go quite the way Job has imagined, and all he can do is retreat into stunned silence.
Why? The reason becomes quickly apparent as God asks Job a series of questions about the creation of the universe that stunningly reveals not only God’s incomparable wisdom but also Job’s utter ignorance. By the time God gets through with Job, the only response this suddenly exposed man can offer is “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand.” (Job 40:4)
Barely into the conversation, through God’s scalpel-like questions, Job, his friends, and each reader listening in on this story reaches the same conclusion: In light of God’s indescribable power, unfathomable wisdom and absolute sovereignty over the universe, what right does the created have to question the Creator?
In light of God’s indescribable power, unfathomable wisdom and absolute sovereignty over the universe, what right does the created have to question the Creator?
Job got what he wanted: an audience with God and a chance to get some answers. In Job’s mind, God had some “splainin” to do. But five minutes into it, Job turned from being a self-righteous victim into a self-effaced worshiper. He quickly understood his own smallness and sinfulness next to God’s vastness and holiness.
So what is the lesson from Job for you? I think it’s pretty obvious: Like all human beings, you will face Job-like pain and loss in your life at some point for which you will feel the Almighty owes you an explanation. But because of the vast and uncontainable nature of the Almighty and because of your own inability to grasp the ways and wisdom of God due to your sin-flawed DNA, for the most part, satisfactory answers will not come. Therefore, your best and most healing response is to simply and worshipfully hang on to your trust in the sovereignty and goodness of Father God.
Given the vast and uncontainable nature of Almighty God and because of our own inability to grasp the ways and wisdom of God due to our sin-flawed DNA, for the most part, satisfactory answers will not come. Therefore, our best and most healing response to hardship of any kind is to simply and worshipfully hang on to our trust in the sovereignty and goodness of Father God.
You and I would do well to decide in advance that God is always good and righteous in all his ways, although he is too powerful, holy and deep to always explain himself. A predetermined commitment to this truth will enable us to journey through those times of pain and disappointment with our trust intact and our hand in the hand of the One who has promised to see us through and at the end of the day, bring us into a safe harbor of indescribable restoration.
GOOD