38 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:
2 “Who is this that questions my wisdom
with such ignorant words?
3 Brace yourself like a man,
because I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell me, if you know so much.
5 Who determined its dimensions
and stretched out the surveying line?
6 What supports its foundations,
and who laid its cornerstone
7 as the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
8 “Who kept the sea inside its boundaries
as it burst from the womb,
9 and as I clothed it with clouds
and wrapped it in thick darkness?
10 For I locked it behind barred gates,
limiting its shores.
11 I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come.
Here your proud waves must stop!’
12 “Have you ever commanded the morning to appear
and caused the dawn to rise in the east?
13 Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth,
to bring an end to the night’s wickedness?
14 As the light approaches,
the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal;
it is robed in brilliant colors.
15 The light disturbs the wicked
and stops the arm that is raised in violence.
16 “Have you explored the springs from which the seas come?
Have you explored their depths?
17 Do you know where the gates of death are located?
Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?
18 Do you realize the extent of the earth?
Tell me about it if you know!
19 “Where does light come from,
and where does darkness go?
20 Can you take each to its home?
Do you know how to get there?
21 But of course you know all this!
For you were born before it was all created,
and you are so very experienced!
3 Then Job replied to the Lord,
4 “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers?
I will cover my mouth with my hand.
5 I have said too much already.
I have nothing more to say.”
6 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:
7 “Brace yourself like a man,
because I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them...
42 Then Job replied to the Lord:
2 “I know that you can do anything,
and no one can stop you.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
things far too wonderful for me.
4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.’
5 I had only heard about you before,
but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
6 I take back everything I said,
and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
Dear God, we are so entitled. I can’t help but wonder if all of us (Christians) shouldn’t wake up every morning and read these passages together. And I mean every morning. It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to look at these words at the start of each day and remember my place in your creation. And what is my place in your creation?
- I’m incredibly small. I’m 1/8-billionth of the earth’s current population. I’m 1/350-millionth of our country’s population. More locally, I’m 1/27-thousandth of our county’s population. I am small. As many people as I know and know me in our small town, when I go to the grocery store, only a handful of people know who I am. To most, I am just a stranger.
- I am loved by you. You are capable of loving just little ol’ me. Not only that. You choose to love little ol’ me. I’m really not worthy. But not child is worthy of a parent’s love. Certainly not the way loving our children is baked into us. I’m your child, and you love me.
- I am one of your worshippers. My response to your love and your interest in me is to worship you. Submit to you. To remember my place. And the irony is, the more I do this the more elevated I actually feel. And not necessarily in others’ eyes, but in yours and I can feel it in my own. It’s a paradox that is foolish to man.
- I am sinful. Though I try not to, I know I frustrate you sometimes. I’m sorry. And I know you’re frustrated with me because my sin is hurting me and sometimes others. It’s getting in the way of your best for me. So, like Job, I repent and press on.
- I am part of your plan. I’ve heard it said that your people are your Plan A to address things in the world, and you don’t have a Plan B. I think this is mostly true (I think you can do things without us), but you expect us to love our neighbors as ourselves. I heard an example on a podcast yesterday. Someone had asked this pastor, “How should I respond to a trans person who has moved into my neighborhood?” He replied, “If you moved into a neighborhood that had only trans people, and you were the only gendered heterosexual, how would you want them to treat you?” You want me to be your Plan A. And in my actions, you gave me four tools to use. The tools that Jesus used. Prayer. Service. Persuasion. Suffering. Anything outside of those four is likely outside of your idea of how I should follow your will.
- Loving others is as much for my good as it is theirs. We have your nature. We are in your likeness. So there must be something about the love that is in you that is in us, and it is good for us to show that love as much as possible. I supposed that means it’s good for you too. Forgiveness is good for us, so it’s probably good for you.
Father, I might type these words from Job up and tape them to my bathroom mirror. I imagine it would be good to start every day reading them and remembering just who I am, and especially in relation to just who you are. You are everything you said you are in chapters 28-41 (4 chapters of letting Job have it!). I know I’ve earned that kind of ire from you before. I’m sorry. I love you. Thank you for forgiving and loving me.
I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,
Amen
