Job

June 10

Job 38:1-15, 40:3-4

God speaks

After Job and his friends had had long discussions about the likely cause of his problems, the Lord Himself spoke to Job out of a storm.

God said to him, “Who are you to question what I do? Where were you when I made the world? Who waters the dry land, and who hung the planets in space? The Lord asked Job many such questions and then gave him a chance to speak.

But Job said, “I have said foolish things. What can I answer? I will not say anything else because I have already said more than I should.”

Can we ever really know God?

If it were possible for you to talk to an ant, think of some questions you would ask the ant. “Do you know how to tie a shoelace? Are you able to take the dog for a walk? Do you know how to add and subtract?”

Maybe God smiled as He looked around at His creation and asked Job about things that are so obvious and easy for Him to do.

As humans, we sometimes think we are very clever and very powerful. We can work out how far the moon is from the earth, and we can make powerful bombs to destroy big cities. But who keeps the planets spinning at the right speed and in their right paths? And who keeps the sun shining with the heat of a million atom bombs?

We will never be able to know and understand God fully. Paul puts it like this: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” Romans 11:33.

Verse for today

For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16