SCRIPTURE
"Surely I spoke of things I do not understand; things too wonderful for me." (Job 42:3)
OBSERVATION
Up until this point in the book of Job, both he and his friends were trying to make sense of Job's suffering. Job defended his innocence. His friends wanted him to admit his guilt. It's difficult to determine how much of the recorded conversation between Job and his friends is theology and how much is speculation. They all ran into the same problem. They tried to fill in the blanks. God __________ (is like this, or does this because, the reason for this is...). There was a lot they did not know about what was happening (they were not in on the behind the scenes action in the first two chapters.) So they ended up speaking for God where he had not spoken.
And then God interrupted the conversation bombarding them with a list of questions that they could not answer. They were not around when the world was created nor do the keep the world in order. They are not the Creator, He is. Then Job confessed his shortcoming. He admitted he spoke of wonderful things he did not understand. He was trying to make sense of the situation, trying to fill in the blanks. In the end he did not receive the answer he was looking for. More important than the answer was the person...God himself showed up.
APPLICATION
Job's confession challenged me to speak only the things about God I know. The things he has revealed in his word. Instead of filling in the blank, and speaking for God, I need to trust in God. Let him be who he is without needing all of life's questions answered. To know that he is the one who created it all and sustains it all gives me the courage and strength to go on through it all. God himself is the answer that goes in the blank, the void of wanting to find reasons and explanations. If I knew why everything happened it would be easy to trust in the understanding than in God. So he leaves things unanswered and unexplained so I come back to him in trust and faith.
PRAYER
Lord, you are too wonderful for words. You are the almighty, creator God. the God who needs no defending. You are the source of all that is because you are the great I Am. You are the source of all that will be because you are the great I Am. You are and I am not. I'll fill in the blank with you.
