When Life Gets Big

When life gets big, it's easy for our fickle hearts and minds to make God seem small. In Job’s story, his life got big and scary very quickly. Throughout his journey, God didn’t speak to him until the last five chapters of the book. God’s speech to Job didn’t offer explanations for his suffering, rather He reminded Job of who He is and how sovereign and powerful He is. In every season, it’s good to be reminded of these truths, and oftentimes, we need to be reminded.

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth” (38:4)?

“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it” (38:12-13)?

“Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain and a way for the thunderbolt, to bring rain on a land where no man is, on the desert in which there is no man, to satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the ground sprout with grass” (38:25-27)?

“Do you know when mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the does" (39:1)?

“Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high" (39:27)?

There is a small break in God’s message with a response from Job. In verses 3-5 of chapter 40, Job answers and says, “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.”

God then proceeds.

“Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his” (40:9)?

“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord" (41:1)?

“Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine” (41:11).

Are you like me?

Sometimes hard-hearted, hard-headed, angry, anxious, depressed?

Look to Job 38-42. Look to the Almighty God who reveals the sufficiency of Himself in the midst of our suffering. Be humbled and feel small against His greatness.

He’s faithful, and he’s good.

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. Read with us!