They remind us of whom we are dealing with if we'll have eyes to see and stop "suppressing the truth by our unrighteousness." ( Again, Romans 1 )
The first thing I believe that is fatally tragic about the "American gospel" is this notion that God is just a big one of us, this tendency in human nature to pull God down to our own level, demanding He owes us salvation and an explanation.
Who do we think we are?
I've been going through my parent's home this summer. The emotional strain is endless as you may know from your own story. My mom kept everything. She just packed it all away so neatly that I never knew it was there until I started digging.
I found a song Johnny wrote for her, his grandmother, after my sister died. It was entitled, Where were you? This is a well-known question from the Book of Job.
The song lyrics ask God where he was when our family faced various heartbreaks. The last verse; however, has God responding back saying, "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?"
"Tell me if you have understanding. Who determinded its measurements - surely you know!"
"Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, and said, 'Thus far shall you come, and no further, and here shall your proud waves be stayed.'" ( Job 38:4, 5, 8-11 )
"Where were you when they killed my boy?" The song asked next.
For four chapters worth God finally gives Job the audience and answer he so desperately seeks. And what an answer it is. In Scripture, I'm not sure anything else, no cross reference, compares to it.
The interesting thing is that in none of His response does God reveal a reason for Job's suffering. Yet, Job's mouth is shut and his heart is full.
The reason for his suffering no longer matters. Because Job now knows something better.
Job knows God.
💜
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