Day 243

Job 37:1–39:30; 2 Corinthians 4:13–5:10; Psalm 44:9-26; Proverbs 22:13

AS WE MOVE toward the conclusion of the book of Job, we recall how the story began with unexpected and unfathomable tragedy for Job. What followed was intense discussion between Job and his friends about the nature of God and His activity in the world. This discussion was drawn out by Job’s claim of innocence and assumption of God’s judgment on him without cause. Job asked a lot of questions, and his friends attempted to defend God while endeavoring to show Job his pride —but in today’s reading, God showed up in person to speak on His own behalf:

Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.

For starters, we must acknowledge how terrifying it would be to hear the voice of God speaking such things because of what we’d been saying about Him. For the remainder of our reading from Job today, God asked questions that neither Job nor his companions could ever answer.

All Job wanted throughout the entire story was an audience with God. When we conclude the book tomorrow, we will finally hear what Job had to say once he got what he wanted. But today, as we listened to God’s questions of Job, we should recognize that there was so much more going on than Job ever knew or comprehended.

In 2 Corinthians, we experienced more of what Paul had to do often —defend himself. Paul had essentially been accused of making up the whole Jesus thing to control and manipulate people. Paul responded by basically explaining that if these were his true motives, he would be following a radically different strategy than one that caused constant persecution:

All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Job and 2 Corinthians dovetail in the fact that they both reveal much more going on than what we usually see or perceive. What we endure in this life is not simply about us. Our trials may indeed be difficult, but they are not purposeless. Rather, they are producing in us a glory that far outweighs the challenge —a glory that will last forever.

The difficult patches in our stories are indeed challenging. They challenge every aspect of what we think we know and stretch our faith to its limits. It is what we find in those times that will be most valuable: the true status of our faith.

Paul fully believed that God was transforming humanity. That which was dying would be swallowed up in the end, and the trials were a part of the process of being made new. May we each consider what embracing this posture would change in our lives.

MEDITATION:

Can you direct the movement of the stars —binding the cluster of the Pleiades or loosening the cords of Orion? Can you direct the constellations through the seasons or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens? Do you know the laws of the universe? Can you use them to regulate the earth?