Monday, June 17, 2024

         In Job 11:7-9, we read, “Can you fathom the mysteries of God?  Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?  They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do?  They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know?  Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.”  These words were spoken by Zophar—one of Job’s friends—after Job had experienced the loss of practically everything during a season of testing and sifting granted to Satan by God. Satan maintained that Job’s integrity and faithfulness were good and true simply because God had been generous and gracious to him.  So, God allowed Satan to test Job.  The Bible says, “The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger’” (Job 1:12).  I wonder how you or I would fare during a season of sifting or time of testing.  How deep, how anchored, how enduring would our faith be if God allowed a similar season to invade our lives today?  
            In a span of only a few verses, Job suffered the rapid and successive loss of everything short of his wife and life.  Children, wealth, property, servants and even his health were stripped away by the adversary Satan.  Job’s friends, including Zophar, came to console him in these crushing losses.  Zophar’s words, quoted in the opening of the first paragraph, show us that God’s ways and wisdom are beyond the boundaries of human comprehension and understanding.  Job maintained his innocence and goodness even in the face of these mounting and crushing losses.  The Bible says, “in all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing” (Job 1:22). 
            When we face inexplicable tests, losses or suffering, we often face a mountain of questions.  We can accuse God or demand to know where God is in the midst of all these things. An avalanche of loss can leave us with far more questions than answers and incredibly more anxiousness than peace.  Zophar’s words do remind us that we will never fully grasp the depth of God’s ways or the end game of His work and deeds.  We trust that God is always operating with eternity in His divine sight and mind.  God is at work to prepare us for the Kingdom that is coming in fullness and glory.  Losses, even profound and pervasive ones like Job suffered, can lead to something unforeseeably good and for God’s glory.  The way God redeems and reworks our losses is usually beyond anything we could ask or imagine even on our finest and brightest days.  God often surprises us and amazes us by His ways and works. 
            Zophar asked, twice, “can you?”  The idea is that we as mere humans can never even begin to think anywhere close to the level where God operates.  We are mere mortals limited by time, perspective and understanding. We cannot begin to grasp the levels at which God moves and operates.  A few words later, Zophar used the words “mysteries” and “limits.”  He acknowledged that God has no boundaries or borders where He cannot work.  We simply fail to see where God works.  We cannot begin to exhaust the range of possibilities where God unfolds His work, will and ways.  We might be tempted to dismiss or even write off what God can do but such a decision would be tragically flawed.  Neither the world nor the sea can contain the wisdom and understanding of the Lord.  He moves in ways and rhythms that we cannot possibly understand or challenge.
            Much like what we read in Job, we still sit in awe and wonder over God’s ways
and providence.  We often have to recognize the self-evident answer to the question that God asked Job.  The Lord said, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?  Tell me if you understand” (Job 38:4).  Each day we entrust ourselves to the ways, works and providence of God and allow Him to lead us.  Even in those times where we cannot fully see or grasp what God is up to doing in us and for us.  We trust that the very God who sustains the creation is capable of sustaining us as well—and that He is able to do more than we could ever ask or imagine.  On those days where all we have is questions, we can come before God and know that He can answer them—sometimes directly and sometimes by guiding us through the thorny patch where we find ourselves.  Have a great Monday!  Remember you can worship any time at YouTube.com/FirstBaptistKannapolis.