“I am a laughingstock to my friends;
I, who called to God and he answered me,
a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock…
Who among all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
In his hand is the life of every living thing
and the breath of all mankind…
Wisdom is with the aged,
and understanding in length of days.
“With God are wisdom and might;
he has counsel and understanding.
If he tears down, none can rebuild;
if he shuts a man in, none can open.
If he withholds the waters, they dry up;
if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
With him are strength and sound wisdom…
He uncovers the deeps out of darkness
and brings deep darkness to light.”
“Behold, my eye has seen all this,
my ear has heard and understood it…
But I would speak to the Almighty,
and I desire to argue my case with God…
Hear now my argument
and listen to the pleadings of my lips…
Though he slay me, I will hope in him;
yet I will argue my ways to his face…
Keep listening to my words…
I have prepared my case;
I know that I shall be in the right.
Who is there who will contend with me?
For then I would be silent and die.
Only grant me two things,
then I will not hide myself from your face:
withdraw your hand far from me,
and let not dread of you terrify me.
Then call, and I will answer;
or let me speak, and you reply to me.
How many are my iniquities and my sins?
Make me know my transgression and my sin.
Why do you hide your face
and count me as your enemy?”
“I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed,
in my flesh I shall see God,
whom I shall see for myself,
my eyes shall behold.” Job 12:4,9-10,12-16a,22; 13:1,3,6,15,17-24; 19:25-27
Job was suffering, physically and emotionally, and his ‘friends’ accused him of unrepentant sin as the cause. Destitute and loathing his life, Job clings to his Lord as the only hope available. He believed in his Sovereign’s wisdom and might and perfect knowledge, and relied on His lovingkindness in order to argue his cause and angst. His hope in God’s sure goodness was foundational to their honest communion, however agonizing. Job grasped enough of God’s ‘otherness’ to put his absolute trust in Him. (Job 8:1-6; 11:1-6)
Man has trouble with preconceptions of how God works, or opinions about how He should. We have a stilted view of life and think we deserve what makes us comfortable and happy. The Lord, though, is in the business of making us holy. He’s concerned with how we respond to His high and deep ways with man, and teaching how He’s glorified in the midst, and often out of hardship. Our concerns are fleshy and temporal, His are unseen and eternal.
How honest are we with God? Do we believe enough in His goodness and purposes to argue and express complaint with hope? Where will we look to Him and trust His answers?
Lord, keep me unshaken in hope and honest in complaint, trusting You above all earthly struggles to show Yourself gloriously sovereign and good.
As the rain and snow 