Let’s look at a couple more “absurd” questions found in the book of Job. After Job spent time with his so-called comforters, God came on the scene and peppered Job with more than seventy questions. (Read Job 38-42). Remember, an absurd question often encourages a response of “No way!” However, God’s questions are more than absurd–they’re questions that were intended to bring perspective. When He first appeared on the scene, the Lord challenged, “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?” (38:2). The Lord certainly has a way with words, doesn’t He? God spoke in a clear, distinctive voice and stunned Job and his friends into utter silence:
- Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth? Job 38:33
- Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? Job 40:2
- Do you have an arm like God’s and can voice thunder like His? Job 40:9
One can almost hear the loud echo of His words as they shoot out of the storm and pierce into the heart. These questions make me shrink into smallness compared to His hugeness!
Now, take it home. . .
- What effect do God’s questions to Job have on you?
- How can one maintain a proper perspective of the greatness of God–especially when facing a challenging trial?
(Feel free to post your thoughts. I’d love to hear from you.)
While reading the questions that God was asking Job, I felt intimated for Job, like a dog with his tail between his legs. The fact that God started his questioning by telling Job to “brace yourself like a man” (38:3) was a sign that God wasn’t going to hold back. He was going to put Job and his friends in their places.
What I got from God’s questions was that we can’t comprehend how God’s creation works or why things happen the way they do. But we need to never believe that God has abandoned us. It makes me think of a parent telling her child to not question her and to just trust her because she has their best interest in mind. It’s hard to be the child and understand. But, being a parent who has said similar things to my child, I can understand from that perspective.
I think to maintain a proper perspective, sometimes we just need to “brace ourself like a man” and just suck it up when times get rough. As we see with Job, hard times is not God abandoning us. We just can’t comprehend everything God does. So in rough times, we hold our head up high, wait for the blow, and trust that God will take care of everything in the end. Because God always has our best interest in mind.