“Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said: “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.”
This is a hard book. Job endures unimaginable trials compounded by judgmentalism and lack of support from friends and family. But after thirty-seven chapters of God’s majesty being judged … The Creator has heard enough. The Lord speaks out of the storm and begins with a question that basically asks “Who do you think you’re talking to?”… Followed by questions that suggest Job should do more listening and less evaluating.
What about us. How much of our prayer life is spent seeking God’s will, and how much is spent telling God what we think He should do?
The Cross allows us to approach God as his beloved children, but we should not forget whom we are approaching. We don’t evaluate God’s plan; we seek to understand it. Jesus tells parables which promote constantly praying and even “bugging” God for answers. But we can never forget who He is.
Following this verse, God list some of His qualifications for being God. When these are brought to his attention, Job responds: “Surely, I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” Being reminded who we pray to, should solicit the same response from us.
Too many churches represent God as a feeble deity begging for our approval… Our world condescendingly mocks its Creator … but this passage indicates we have dangerously misjudged Him. This book contains a severe reprimand. He is not a genie that we evaluate …He is the omnipotent Creator who will question us, and we will answer to Him.
Make no mistake, He loves you, weeps with you, and your pain is so precious to Him, He holds your tears in a bottle… but as you struggle, God is not pacing the floor. He is in complete control.
We must learn to stop trusting the outcome and start trusting the God who determines it. And when we can’t see the way, we must trust His heart … In the eye of the storm, know that God loves you, He has a plan, and the anchor will hold.
"It's not great faith you need; it is faith in a great God." - N. T. Wright
Good message! We often forget who God really is. When we stop and think of what it would be like in the presence of the loving awesome holy and majestic presence of God, We should quite easily drop to our knees in worship and all.
ReplyDelete