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As I was reading today’s chapters I kept thinking of two songs. The first one was “How Great is Our God” by Chris Tomlin. You can listen to it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKLQ1td3MbE
The second one was “10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)” by Matt Redman and you can listen to that at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E
God speaks to Job and opens up with 60 something rhetorical questions to let him and all readers simply KNOW how awesome HE is. Most of HIS questions were: “where were you when…..”!! Those questions certainly humbled me …. “ Ummmm…. Nope… I was not there Lord … and I have NO idea how you did what you did but thank YOU for reminding me of ALL you did.
The things that struck me deeply today were what I did not see in writing. The first thing we are told is that “God answered Job out of the storm.” Just a few nights ago we had winds of up to 60 mph in the area. It was about midnight. I was at my kitchen table listening to pine cones and other debris SLAM into my bay windows. I really thought things were going to start coming through the glass. I happened to be reading THIS chapter at the same time and began to imagine how Job must have felt.
Job is in the MIDST of a storm and hears GOD SPEAK!! What I did NOT read following that Scripture was that Job was afraid, or that he hid from God. There was no discussion of fear and trembling. God simply began to speak. MANY years ago when I did my first Job bible study, I thought for sure God was mad and spoke in an angry voice. However, when I read it this time … NO WHERE does it say that God was angry. It simply says GOD SPOKE.
THIS year when I read this I heard a loving Father, speak through HIS majesty, to HIS child. God is firm. HE is clear with HIS point. He doesn’t answer Job’s question. Yet, HE opens Job’s eyes to MORE of HIS character. There is NO indication that Job is saying .. “but … but … God… that’s not what I asked”. I can only imagine that Job is watching the storm, listening to the wind, and hearing HIS God remind him of all HE has done. I am confident Job was humbled, speechless, and awestruck.
God makes it abundantly clear what is important and what needs to be focused on and guess what … if we are like Job and are focusing on our circumstances rather than on God…. We have our focus in the WRONG place (ouch.. ouch … and ouch again). When life doesn’t make sense we have a choice to make and that is do we chose to dwell on our circumstances and/or fears or do we chose to shift focus onto God’s greatness, HIS awesomeness. HOW do we do this? Begin by looking at the stars on a clear night, listening to the roar of the ocean, watching a storm, or snow falling, witnessing the birth of a baby. HE created it ALL.
Not ONLY did He create it ALL, but because of Jesus Christ, HE now LIVES IN US. God is not some distant God who cannot relate, or who simply watches from up in the heavens. God is right here with us, IN US in EVERY thing we do. HE KNOWS what we are going through. HE wants us to KNOW WHO HE is and how deeply HE loves us.
I have a deep love of animals and my guess is that Job understood animals well (he would have had to in order to own so many before the trials came.) Did you notice how many questions God asked Job about animals? I believe he did so to help Job understand how much HE understood him/us. HIS questions were on a level Job could comprehend, picture, and relate to. PLUS as much as Job knew about animals … God’s questions possibly made him see how little he really knew.
Ultimately, God does not need to answer Job’s direct questions, because Job answered most of them himself. Even in Job 7:17-19 (NIV), Job already began to answer his own question without really knowing it:
17 “What is mankind that you make so much of them,
that you give them so much attention,
18 that you examine them every morning
and test them every moment?
19 Will you never look away from me,
or let me alone even for an instant?
The answer to Job’s question is …. No!!! HE won’t. THANK GOD!!!
Sharing HIS love,
Reading the Bible Chronologically in 365 days 
By far, some of my favorite verses in the bible! Chapter 38:11: when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’? And, 38:12: “Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn it’s place,……” When I read these two chapters, no matter where I am at in my life, these verses of God speaking directly always humbles me like a child. I just want to sit down and bask in his Glory, praying and asking for forgiveness for questioning His will, His plans, and His absolute control over everything. Especially in the world we live in today where what is good and right is made to seem wrong. I am sorry to admit that I have to consciously remind myself that God already knows how everything is going to play out….He, not anybody else, is in complete control. I am grateful for his Word to read and give comfort.
Being an animal lover, especially of horses, I just love what the Almighty has to say in chapter 39:19-25!
What a way to start the day!
You are so right Dawn!! I feel the same with when I read about the dawn and the waves … each time I read this it is as if I am “transported” in my mind to those places. Thanks for your comments!!