Job has such an interesting testimony. He is so righteous that God encourages calamity to befall him. During this ordeal Job calls to God, thinking he knows: “I cry to You for help and You do not answer me…” (30.20). Later, God responds, “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” In His very opening from the whirlwind, God has verbally slapped Job by saying, ‘you’re not as smart as you think you are’. But, what I call you attention to is the next two chapters (38, 39) wherein God repeats the same two ideas: Do you truly know how it works, and can you do anything about it?
While Job is humbled by knowing that he cannot do what God can, consider: GOD CAN DO ALL THESE THINGS! Job knows that he cannot control the snow (38.22) or the rain (38.25), but God can! Job cannot make the hawk or the eagle fly (39.26-27), but God can! How powerful our prayers can be when we start them out, not by saying “Dear Lord:”, but by giving examples of why He is Holy (“Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name”). What if, in our request for God to act in our lives, we first acknowledge that HE CAN!
I am not bold enough to say that Job should have been thanking God for his ordeal. But I am bold enough to wonder how God would bless me if I thanked Him for my own troubles. Hebrews 12.6: “For the LORD disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He cherishes.” My woes in life may have been placed there to make me grow.
“For all that You’ve done, I will thank You. For all that You’re going to do; For all that You’ve promised and all that You are is all that has carried me thru. Jesus, I thank You!” (Thank You, Lord! HFWS #43) A sentiment sung in this verse is that we will thank God for what He is going to do. Hebrews reminds us that because of His love for us He will bring calamity to test us. In that day, may I remember the promise I have sung- to thank Him for the discipline. Ouch. “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12.11) May God discipline us; may He make us grow. And may He grant that we learn quickly. I will thank You.
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