The Joy of Glory

Discovering endless joy in the boundless glory of God…

Tag: God speaks

April 15, 2014

Lent Devotional: Job 38

Job 38 (click here)
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: 2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. 4 Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. (Job 38:1-4)

Reflection
God speaks! If we knew nothing else…this would be grace enough. After so much silence, the Lord speaks to Job, but in a manner for which Job was completely unprepared. Job wanted to question God, but the reverse is what unfolds.

God aims to show Job his human limitations in contrast with God’s own divine limitlessness! Job’s estimation of all that is happening in his life has acted like a blanket of darkness, covering up the light of God’s counsel/plan. Through his questions, God will dispel the darkness, but not in order to reveal his complete plan to Job, but in order to reveal himself!

God doesn’t give Job the “WHY” he wants…he gives Job the “WHO” he needs!

Job may be limited in time and space, but God is not! God has seen all from beginning to end and been present for it all. This means he sees Job and is present with him in his suffering. He knows how his suffering fits into the big picture of history. He knows how Job’s suffering is working for Job an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison!

He knows…and so he can be trusted! When you suffer, you haven’t fallen of God’s radar. He knows, he sees, and he is there with you amidst all the pain. Things may make absolutely no sense from our limited perspective, but from his eternal perspective God promises all things are working for our good and his glory. Trust him.

*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

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April 12, 2014

Lent Devotional: Job 32-33

Job 32-33 (click here)
So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God. 3 He burned with anger also at Job’s three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong. 4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. 5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger. (Job 32:1-5)

Reflection
Finally… Job’s three “friends” give up. However, before we can rejoice that this seemingly endless debate has come to an end, a fourth “friend” enters the picture. Here comes Elihu. He may be the strangest character in the whole book.

Elihu comes out of nowhere. He has not been mentioned up to this point and, after his long speeches end, he will not be mentioned again. No one even acknowledges anything he has to say! No one affirms his words, but no one denies his words. Even when God finally speaks he will ignore this young man. Who is this and why is he even in the story?

I think Elihu is there for us. Don’t get me wrong, I believe he is a real person and is really a part of this story, but I think he is there for all the readers of the story. Like us, he has been sitting back and simply listening. Like us, he has grown weary with all this talk. Like us, he has a few things of his own he would like to say. Like us, he has been willing to listen because, surely, these other men were wiser than he.

Right about the time Elihu can’t stand to be silent anymore is also right about the time we want to start screaming at Job and his “friends.” We want to rebuke everybody and that is exactly what Elihu does… but it does nothing. Elihu’s voice is not the one that Job or his friends need… they need to hear from God. Our voice is not the one that Job or his friends need… they need to hear from God.

God can and does speak through his people, but all too often we want to jump into situations and speak our own wisdom. People don’t need our wisdom… they need a word from God. Elihu is the final person that proves all human wisdom falls short… all our wisdom falls short. The only one left to speak is the only one that Job (and us) needs to hear speak… God.

*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

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