A lot happened in chapters 32 - 47 but one verse in particular stood out to me. It's in chapter 45 right after Joseph has revealed his true identity to his brothers. In verse 5 Joseph says to his brothers:
And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.
This verse stood out for a couple of reasons. First of all, I would SO love to know what his brothers were thinking. I bet a few of them were thinking - RUT ROH!!! (read it in your best Scooby Doo voice and you'll know what I mean!) I'm sure they were scared to death! They probably thought they were at best going to be thrown into some sort of prison and at worst killed. But Joseph puts their mind at ease.
In that one verse he has basically told his brothers that he has forgiven them. He wasn't holding a grudge. He wasn't harboring anger. He wasn't rubbing his hands together in glee about what he was going to do to them to exact his revenge. He was instead thrilled to see them and so excited that he was going to be able to do something to preserve their very lives. That must have been so humbling for his brothers. To see what their little brother had turned into and to realize that he was not going to give them what they deserved but rather was going to provide for them and bless them.
Joseph had matured through all of his trials. He was no longer the teenager who rubbed the fact that he was his Dad's favorite into the faces of his brothers. He was not the same guy who had walked around strutting his stuff in a colorful robe. God had changed him. Joseph had a heart for God. Because of his trials and struggles, Joseph saw things from a different perspective. Rather than flaunting his position in Pharaoh's household, Joseph offered help to his brothers. Rather than being angry, Joseph had allowed God to change his heart and use him for a greater purpose.
He could have turned into a bitter, mean, horrible man that had a closed off heart that couldn't be used of God. But he didn't. Just like Job, he persevered. Just like Noah, he did the tasks laid before him. And LOOK at what God did!!! I'm sure Joseph didn't like being thrown into the pit or sold into slavery but look at where he was now! God had taken what was meant for pain and destruction and turned it into something beyond what could have ever been imagined.
I mean just think about it! Could Joseph (or his brothers for that matter) ever have imagined that he would some day grow up to be the head of Pharaoh's household? Of course, God showed Joseph in a dream that some day he would have power, but that was from God. Those weren't Joseph's imaginings or daydreams. His brothers laughed at him when he told them those dreams because they knew how ridiculous it was. Little did any of them know what God really had in mind! :-)
The second reason this particular verse stood out to me is that it reminds me of Jesus. God sent His only Son ahead to save lives. God made a way for Joseph's brothers and for all of Egypt by sending Joseph ahead and God made a way for all of us by sending Jesus ahead. Wow! When all seems lost - God makes a way. When there seems to be no hope - God makes a way. When death seems to be knocking at the door - God makes a way. God's love is in that verse. His heart for His people is in that verse. He sent 'ahead'.
God made provision. He sent 'ahead'. He wasn't just waiting to see what happened. No! He was in control. He had a plan. He sent 'ahead'. Just like Joseph's brothers took a journey to Egypt to ask for help, we have to take a journey to Jesus to ask for help. God has sent 'ahead' but we have to do our part too. We have to step out. We have to open our hands and our hearts. God has sent 'ahead' and Jesus is waiting for us to come to Him. Because of Jesus, we will not get what we deserve. He took our sin on the cross and stood in our place. What a humbling, amazing picture that is! Instead of getting what we deserve, we get Jesus! All we have to do is ask Him into our hearts! God sent 'ahead'. He made a way!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
M & M's
Miracle or Misdiagnosis...two of my new favorite flavors! I'm not sure which 'M' it is but I am just thankful that I do not have a retinal occlusion! That's right - do not! I still don't know why my right eye is blurry but pretty much, the bottom line, at this point, is the opthamologist thinks that the optometrist doesn't know what she is doing! He didn't say that - I said that and he just smiled :-)
I had more bright lights shone into my eyes today...you would've thought I was being interrogated by the FBI! At one point the doctor asked me to look towards his ear. I told him that I couldn't see anything at the moment so if he could try and give me a general direction I'd do my best - LOL! The first doctor had one of his colleagues take a look and make sure he wasn't missing anything because he said that he just wasn't seeing any hemorrhaging/bleeding and it just doesn't disappear. Well, his colleague had me go through the same battery of tests and he didn't see an occlusion either!
Now, I've been referred to another optometrist for a second vision test (on October 12th). If that optometrist is unable to correct my vision then I will go back to the opthamologist for further testing. My prayer now is that all of this was for naught and my vision can be corrected and I can get on with life. Whatever the outcome, I will choose (probably over and over and over again cause it's easy to forget) to trust the Lord and remind myself often that He is God and I am not! He created my vision so it ultimately belongs to Him. I would like to continue using it on a daily basis but if I have to make adjustments, I will. God is God and I am not.
Thank you to those who prayed and if it's not to much trouble, could you continue to pray that this will reach a positive resolution? Thanks so much!!!
I had more bright lights shone into my eyes today...you would've thought I was being interrogated by the FBI! At one point the doctor asked me to look towards his ear. I told him that I couldn't see anything at the moment so if he could try and give me a general direction I'd do my best - LOL! The first doctor had one of his colleagues take a look and make sure he wasn't missing anything because he said that he just wasn't seeing any hemorrhaging/bleeding and it just doesn't disappear. Well, his colleague had me go through the same battery of tests and he didn't see an occlusion either!
Now, I've been referred to another optometrist for a second vision test (on October 12th). If that optometrist is unable to correct my vision then I will go back to the opthamologist for further testing. My prayer now is that all of this was for naught and my vision can be corrected and I can get on with life. Whatever the outcome, I will choose (probably over and over and over again cause it's easy to forget) to trust the Lord and remind myself often that He is God and I am not! He created my vision so it ultimately belongs to Him. I would like to continue using it on a daily basis but if I have to make adjustments, I will. God is God and I am not.
Thank you to those who prayed and if it's not to much trouble, could you continue to pray that this will reach a positive resolution? Thanks so much!!!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
As the world turns!
Ok...now to step back from the whole eye thing and get back to the bible reading thing. We're back in Genesis and reading about Abram (Abraham) and Sarai (Sarah) and their children and man-o-man if that isn't the first soap opera ever, I don't know what is! Think about it...
Now I think that there are some missing pieces to these stories. I imagine that Abraham knew he sinned by telling the half-truth about Sarah (she was technically his sister - his half sister) and I also imagine that he repented of that sin. We may not read it in the bible, but I believe that it is there - between the lines. I believe God blesses a repentant heart.
It could be too that God blessed Sarah not Abraham. There were two people involved and true to the times, Sarah was submissive to her husband and did not counter what her husband said. So perhaps God blessed Sarah and her love for her husband. I don't know. It is boggling to this puny little mind.
But through it all God's grace abounds. He uses what is intended for bad and turns it into good. Because of us humans, and our free will, it may be a winding road for God to get us to where He wants us to be but He doesn't give up. He keeps leading the way and then patiently waits when we get off course.
I'm not sure if the soap opera of Abraham and Sarah is in the bible to show us their great faith or more to show us their imperfections and mistakes. They were human too. Abraham not only lied once about Sarah but he did it again! He got caught up in what and who he could see and forgot that God is bigger than everything and could've protected him from anything and anyone. I think that maybe their story is shared because of the soap opera not in spite of it.
If we look back, isn't there a little bit of soap opera in all of our lives. Isn't there times where we messed up, knowingly even, and yet God forgave us and still blessed us? Haven't there been times where we have picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off and tried again? Abraham and Sarah are just like us or rather we are just like them. Human yet loved. Sinners yet forgiven. Unworthy yet blessed. Weak yet, through God, made powerful.
So don't get caught up, distracted or discouraged by your soap opera. Remember God used Abraham's and Sarah's to give birth to the nation of Israel! Just imagine what He might do with yours!!!
- Travels to a new land
- Passes his wife off as his sister
- There are Pharaohs and kings
- Names are changed
- Cities are destroyed
- A woman is turned into a pillar of salt
- Infertility
- Multiple wives
- son almost a human sacrifice
- Man works 7 years for one woman and is tricked into marrying the wrong one
- Man works another 7 years to finally marry the woman he loves
- Wealth
- Destruction
- Drama...drama...drama
Now I think that there are some missing pieces to these stories. I imagine that Abraham knew he sinned by telling the half-truth about Sarah (she was technically his sister - his half sister) and I also imagine that he repented of that sin. We may not read it in the bible, but I believe that it is there - between the lines. I believe God blesses a repentant heart.
It could be too that God blessed Sarah not Abraham. There were two people involved and true to the times, Sarah was submissive to her husband and did not counter what her husband said. So perhaps God blessed Sarah and her love for her husband. I don't know. It is boggling to this puny little mind.
But through it all God's grace abounds. He uses what is intended for bad and turns it into good. Because of us humans, and our free will, it may be a winding road for God to get us to where He wants us to be but He doesn't give up. He keeps leading the way and then patiently waits when we get off course.
I'm not sure if the soap opera of Abraham and Sarah is in the bible to show us their great faith or more to show us their imperfections and mistakes. They were human too. Abraham not only lied once about Sarah but he did it again! He got caught up in what and who he could see and forgot that God is bigger than everything and could've protected him from anything and anyone. I think that maybe their story is shared because of the soap opera not in spite of it.
If we look back, isn't there a little bit of soap opera in all of our lives. Isn't there times where we messed up, knowingly even, and yet God forgave us and still blessed us? Haven't there been times where we have picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off and tried again? Abraham and Sarah are just like us or rather we are just like them. Human yet loved. Sinners yet forgiven. Unworthy yet blessed. Weak yet, through God, made powerful.
So don't get caught up, distracted or discouraged by your soap opera. Remember God used Abraham's and Sarah's to give birth to the nation of Israel! Just imagine what He might do with yours!!!
He must be the one!
I went to see my doctor today. Since I've moved to Washington I haven't established myself with an actual primary care physician. After the news I received on Monday, I decided it was time to find a primary doctor and get to know him/her and have him/her get to know me.
I had previously perused the Kaiser Permanente website and found a doctor that I thought looked kind in the face and smart in the credentials. So I scheduled an appointment with her and saw her this morning. I went to the appointment with hope that she would get me in to see the opthamologist today rather than having to wait until tomorrow. Before my new doctor came into the room, I said a quick little prayer. My prayer was that if the opthamologist I'm scheduled to see tomorrow is the best one for me to see, my doctor today would not rush me in with someone else.
Well, I still have an appointment set for tomorrow afternoon at 4:00. So while I was disappointed and even shed a few tears in the car, I know that he must be the one. I know that God hears my prayers. I know that God loves me and wants what is best for me. I know that God can move mountains and part seas. I know that He can make the lame walk and raise the dead. So now I know that this doctor must be the one. What I don't know is if he will actually be able to do something to restore my vision but I do know that he is the one God wants as my doctor.
So, I wait. I wait out one more night and one more long day. Tonight is another night before. Tomorrow may not be full of answers but it will at least be the first step. My prayer is that it is an afternoon full of action. May God calm my heart and reassure my mind and give me peace for I know that above all else, He is God and I am not.
I had previously perused the Kaiser Permanente website and found a doctor that I thought looked kind in the face and smart in the credentials. So I scheduled an appointment with her and saw her this morning. I went to the appointment with hope that she would get me in to see the opthamologist today rather than having to wait until tomorrow. Before my new doctor came into the room, I said a quick little prayer. My prayer was that if the opthamologist I'm scheduled to see tomorrow is the best one for me to see, my doctor today would not rush me in with someone else.
Well, I still have an appointment set for tomorrow afternoon at 4:00. So while I was disappointed and even shed a few tears in the car, I know that he must be the one. I know that God hears my prayers. I know that God loves me and wants what is best for me. I know that God can move mountains and part seas. I know that He can make the lame walk and raise the dead. So now I know that this doctor must be the one. What I don't know is if he will actually be able to do something to restore my vision but I do know that he is the one God wants as my doctor.
So, I wait. I wait out one more night and one more long day. Tonight is another night before. Tomorrow may not be full of answers but it will at least be the first step. My prayer is that it is an afternoon full of action. May God calm my heart and reassure my mind and give me peace for I know that above all else, He is God and I am not.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
A funny thing happened on the way through Job...
So you know how sometimes our words come back to bite us in the butt? Well, let's just say that I'm having a harder time sitting down these days. Let me explain...
Back in June I went to the eye doctor to get some new contacts. I was coming to the end of my supply of contacts and needed more plus my right eye had been blurry, so I just figured my prescription needed to be changed. I called the eye doctor and she did an eye exam and ordered me a new set of contacts. I picked them up...tried them out...and called to let her know that they were wrong. I couldn't see out of my right eye. My vision was still blurry. This started a series of trial and error appointments.
I asked during one of my follow up appointments if there could be anything physically wrong with my eye. You see eyes are a hazard in my family. We not only have problems with our vision but we also have problems with the physical anatomy of our eyes. I relayed my family history to the doctor but was assured that she didn't see anything wrong with my eye and we would just keep trying different prescriptions.
Fast forward to yesterday. I went in for yet another appointment because I still can't see out of my right eye. Let me be very specific - I can see - it isn't that I've gone blind and only see black - it's just that what I do see is all blurred. Ok, back to the appointment. I asked my husband Nathan to go with me because I was determined that something was going to be figured out at this appointment. Well, we did get something figured out...she finally dilated my eye (and before you ask, nope, that hadn't been done during any of my previous appointments) and discovered that I have a retinal vein occlusion which is basically a blockage of the blood supply to the retina. This is not a good thing.
I have now been referred to a retinal specialist for evaluation and treatment. I have an appointment tomorrow morning with my regular doctor and then an appointment with the specialist Thursday afternoon. As you can imagine, I'm not super thrilled with having to wait. I would rather get in to see the doctors ASAP. This is my vision we're talking about. I wasn't worried about the blurriness when I thought the problem was just a bad prescription but now that I know that there is something physically affecting my vision and that it may not be correctable...I'm a tad bit concerned.
Add to all of this the fact that I have been having circulation problems in my right leg since the end of April and you've got the makings of a real worry fest. I'm wondering if the two things are connected since they both involve the circulatory system on my right side. Of course, I don't know that they are connected at all, but hopefully the doctors will figure something out.
Needless to say, I didn't sleep well last night and I kept thinking of that phrase "This is a test of the emergency broadcast system". I'm not sure that I have been given this test or if this test has just found me but I do know that this is a test of my emergency broadcast system. How I choose to react to this test is the key. Honestly, I have been stressed...I have been tearful...and I am worried. BUT, I know that God is God and I am not. I know that my prayer was and will continue to be for God to change my heart. I want to come out of this a different Denise. I want to be stronger, wiser, softer, and more sensitive to the Lords voice.
Of course, I want my vision restored so that I can see clearly and sharply...that is my heartfelt desire but if it is not, then I want to trust. I want to trust that God is in control and that He knows why this is happening. He will use this to change me and possibly to change the hearts of others. Do I want to go through this? Nope. Am I willing to try my best while I am going through this? Yes. I will do my best to stand firm in my faith and not falter. I can't promise that I won't question or get angry or cry more tears but I will do my best to trust because after all - God is God and I am not!
Back in June I went to the eye doctor to get some new contacts. I was coming to the end of my supply of contacts and needed more plus my right eye had been blurry, so I just figured my prescription needed to be changed. I called the eye doctor and she did an eye exam and ordered me a new set of contacts. I picked them up...tried them out...and called to let her know that they were wrong. I couldn't see out of my right eye. My vision was still blurry. This started a series of trial and error appointments.
I asked during one of my follow up appointments if there could be anything physically wrong with my eye. You see eyes are a hazard in my family. We not only have problems with our vision but we also have problems with the physical anatomy of our eyes. I relayed my family history to the doctor but was assured that she didn't see anything wrong with my eye and we would just keep trying different prescriptions.
Fast forward to yesterday. I went in for yet another appointment because I still can't see out of my right eye. Let me be very specific - I can see - it isn't that I've gone blind and only see black - it's just that what I do see is all blurred. Ok, back to the appointment. I asked my husband Nathan to go with me because I was determined that something was going to be figured out at this appointment. Well, we did get something figured out...she finally dilated my eye (and before you ask, nope, that hadn't been done during any of my previous appointments) and discovered that I have a retinal vein occlusion which is basically a blockage of the blood supply to the retina. This is not a good thing.
I have now been referred to a retinal specialist for evaluation and treatment. I have an appointment tomorrow morning with my regular doctor and then an appointment with the specialist Thursday afternoon. As you can imagine, I'm not super thrilled with having to wait. I would rather get in to see the doctors ASAP. This is my vision we're talking about. I wasn't worried about the blurriness when I thought the problem was just a bad prescription but now that I know that there is something physically affecting my vision and that it may not be correctable...I'm a tad bit concerned.
Add to all of this the fact that I have been having circulation problems in my right leg since the end of April and you've got the makings of a real worry fest. I'm wondering if the two things are connected since they both involve the circulatory system on my right side. Of course, I don't know that they are connected at all, but hopefully the doctors will figure something out.
Needless to say, I didn't sleep well last night and I kept thinking of that phrase "This is a test of the emergency broadcast system". I'm not sure that I have been given this test or if this test has just found me but I do know that this is a test of my emergency broadcast system. How I choose to react to this test is the key. Honestly, I have been stressed...I have been tearful...and I am worried. BUT, I know that God is God and I am not. I know that my prayer was and will continue to be for God to change my heart. I want to come out of this a different Denise. I want to be stronger, wiser, softer, and more sensitive to the Lords voice.
Of course, I want my vision restored so that I can see clearly and sharply...that is my heartfelt desire but if it is not, then I want to trust. I want to trust that God is in control and that He knows why this is happening. He will use this to change me and possibly to change the hearts of others. Do I want to go through this? Nope. Am I willing to try my best while I am going through this? Yes. I will do my best to stand firm in my faith and not falter. I can't promise that I won't question or get angry or cry more tears but I will do my best to trust because after all - God is God and I am not!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
It's over!
Job's suffering is done! This is a day that Job probably thought would never come. The sun was brighter, the sky bluer and the grass greener! Oh what a happy day!
I find it interesting though that Job's restoration was given only a couple of paragraphs at the end of the book. After chapters and chapters of suffering, anguish, debate, pleading and theorizing. Only a couple paragraphs are devoted to the restoration of his life. Perhaps God is more concerned with the matters of our heart and those things that change us and mold us than He is in blessings.
Don't get me wrong, God loved Job. God loves us. He loves blessing us! He gave Job double what he had before. He opened up the store houses in heaven and poured out blessings on Job. He even gave Job more children. He didn't double the number of children Job had before but gave him exactly the same number. I think maybe that is because children are irreplacable and no matter how many more children Job had, they would never replace the ones that were lost. Anyways, back to what I was saying...
God blessed Job but He wasn't all that concerned with it. He was more concerned with the state of Job's heart. Even though God never really answered Job or explained why He had allowed Job to suffer so, Job realized that he had been pretty arrogant in his doubting God. He repented and acknowledged that God is God and he is not. I think that is what God cared about.
God cared about the hearts of Job's friends. He was angry that they had been misrepresenting Him. Their arguments were based on the idea that only the wicked suffer. That the righteous (innocent) do not suffer and that is just not reality. We all face trials and tribulations no matter our righteousness or lack of it. It's how we face those trials that are the true test. In the end, God let Job be the mediator for his friends. He told Job to pray for his friends. I think that was so Job's heart could begin to heal and forgiveness could enter in.
It is difficult to stay angry at someone that we are praying for. Especially when we really know God is listening. God told Job and his friends that He would hear Job's prayer and not punish them like He wanted to. That was a big responsibility for Job and one he may not have wanted all that much. He might have secretly been wishing that God would punish his friends. But again, God was concerned with Job's heart, and He knew that the first step towards forgiveness was prayer.
I wonder what that did to the hearts of Job's friends. To be told, flat out, by God "I'm angry with you" and then be told that the person they hurt the most was the very one that was going to intervene on their behalf with God, I wonder how that made them feel. I would like to know what happened to their hearts. How did all of this change them? How did they go on to live their life? Were they more understanding? Were they kinder? Did they have more of a servants heart? Did they interecede on behalf of their fellow man? We don't know what happened to Job's friends but I have no doubt that they were never the same.
Job made it through this trial. He went on to live a full and happy life. He was wealthy once again. But more than anything, he was changed. He was not the same Job inside or out. His heart was different and miraculously, through all the suffering, he more than likely loved his God more then he did before.
I pray that I listen for God's voice the next time I'm faced with a trial or hardship. I pray that my heart is changed and that my eyes stay on God. I pray that my trust in Him is renewed and that I am stead fast in my faith. I pray that God will bless me but more than anything, I pray that God will change me.
I find it interesting though that Job's restoration was given only a couple of paragraphs at the end of the book. After chapters and chapters of suffering, anguish, debate, pleading and theorizing. Only a couple paragraphs are devoted to the restoration of his life. Perhaps God is more concerned with the matters of our heart and those things that change us and mold us than He is in blessings.
Don't get me wrong, God loved Job. God loves us. He loves blessing us! He gave Job double what he had before. He opened up the store houses in heaven and poured out blessings on Job. He even gave Job more children. He didn't double the number of children Job had before but gave him exactly the same number. I think maybe that is because children are irreplacable and no matter how many more children Job had, they would never replace the ones that were lost. Anyways, back to what I was saying...
God blessed Job but He wasn't all that concerned with it. He was more concerned with the state of Job's heart. Even though God never really answered Job or explained why He had allowed Job to suffer so, Job realized that he had been pretty arrogant in his doubting God. He repented and acknowledged that God is God and he is not. I think that is what God cared about.
God cared about the hearts of Job's friends. He was angry that they had been misrepresenting Him. Their arguments were based on the idea that only the wicked suffer. That the righteous (innocent) do not suffer and that is just not reality. We all face trials and tribulations no matter our righteousness or lack of it. It's how we face those trials that are the true test. In the end, God let Job be the mediator for his friends. He told Job to pray for his friends. I think that was so Job's heart could begin to heal and forgiveness could enter in.
It is difficult to stay angry at someone that we are praying for. Especially when we really know God is listening. God told Job and his friends that He would hear Job's prayer and not punish them like He wanted to. That was a big responsibility for Job and one he may not have wanted all that much. He might have secretly been wishing that God would punish his friends. But again, God was concerned with Job's heart, and He knew that the first step towards forgiveness was prayer.
I wonder what that did to the hearts of Job's friends. To be told, flat out, by God "I'm angry with you" and then be told that the person they hurt the most was the very one that was going to intervene on their behalf with God, I wonder how that made them feel. I would like to know what happened to their hearts. How did all of this change them? How did they go on to live their life? Were they more understanding? Were they kinder? Did they have more of a servants heart? Did they interecede on behalf of their fellow man? We don't know what happened to Job's friends but I have no doubt that they were never the same.
Job made it through this trial. He went on to live a full and happy life. He was wealthy once again. But more than anything, he was changed. He was not the same Job inside or out. His heart was different and miraculously, through all the suffering, he more than likely loved his God more then he did before.
I pray that I listen for God's voice the next time I'm faced with a trial or hardship. I pray that my heart is changed and that my eyes stay on God. I pray that my trust in Him is renewed and that I am stead fast in my faith. I pray that God will bless me but more than anything, I pray that God will change me.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
God speaks!
Finally!!! 37 chapters later and God speaks! I'm sure Job was ecstatic! Now...now his friends would see. God would vindicate him and tell the faltering musketeers all about their friend Job and how he was a great man. Now God would explain what was going on. I can see it now, Job has his arms crossed on his chest and his left toe is tapping, with a smirk on his face just waiting for God to tell 'em.
But wait...what's this??? God doesn't jump to Job's defense. Nope. That wasn't at the top of God's list. The first thing He does is basically tell Job - listen buddy, I'm God and you are not. Seriously, that pretty much sums up chapters 38 and 39. God is "questioning" Job but all He is really doing is telling Job and his friends and anyone else around who was listening that He was God and they were not.
And I really do think God was speaking audibly. The first verse in chapter 38 says that "the Lord answered Job out of the storm". Storms are loud and chaotic and get attention. God "answered out of the storm" - I don't think He was whispering or that Job was hearing God only in his head. I think God was speaking up so that He was sure to be heard. He is God and they are not.
Job's friends could theorize and debate and offer opinions and try to define what was happening to Job all they wanted. Job could defend and plead and whine and stand firm all he wanted. Bottom line - God is God and they are not. God doesn't have to explain Himself. He doesn't have to tell Job or his friends anything. He doesn't have to tell them that Job was tested because of his righteousness. He doesn't have to give reasons for His actions. He is God and they are not.
He created the heavens and the earth and all who walk upon it. He created the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. He created the trees, the sun, the moon, the mountains, the flowers and even the weeds. He controls lightening and hail and rain. He calms waters and tells eagles when to take flight. He is God and we are not.
We forget that fact. We don't forget it down in our knower...we just forget it for moments. We want God to explain things to us in a way that makes sense to our limited human mind. We want to understand. We don't want to just blindly trust. So we question and we debate and we argue.
Luckily, He is a big God and He can take it but just like He told Job - He tells us too that He is God and we are not. Sometimes we need to turn off our logic and amp up our knower and just trust - He is God and we are not. He created everything and we did not. He parts seas and causes lame people to walk and feeds 5,000 with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. He deserves our praise just because He is God.
So, when you don't understand and have no answers as to why and it seems that God has left you and no matter how many questions you ask or arguments you start God remains silent...in times like that just remember....
But wait...what's this??? God doesn't jump to Job's defense. Nope. That wasn't at the top of God's list. The first thing He does is basically tell Job - listen buddy, I'm God and you are not. Seriously, that pretty much sums up chapters 38 and 39. God is "questioning" Job but all He is really doing is telling Job and his friends and anyone else around who was listening that He was God and they were not.
And I really do think God was speaking audibly. The first verse in chapter 38 says that "the Lord answered Job out of the storm". Storms are loud and chaotic and get attention. God "answered out of the storm" - I don't think He was whispering or that Job was hearing God only in his head. I think God was speaking up so that He was sure to be heard. He is God and they are not.
Job's friends could theorize and debate and offer opinions and try to define what was happening to Job all they wanted. Job could defend and plead and whine and stand firm all he wanted. Bottom line - God is God and they are not. God doesn't have to explain Himself. He doesn't have to tell Job or his friends anything. He doesn't have to tell them that Job was tested because of his righteousness. He doesn't have to give reasons for His actions. He is God and they are not.
He created the heavens and the earth and all who walk upon it. He created the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. He created the trees, the sun, the moon, the mountains, the flowers and even the weeds. He controls lightening and hail and rain. He calms waters and tells eagles when to take flight. He is God and we are not.
We forget that fact. We don't forget it down in our knower...we just forget it for moments. We want God to explain things to us in a way that makes sense to our limited human mind. We want to understand. We don't want to just blindly trust. So we question and we debate and we argue.
Luckily, He is a big God and He can take it but just like He told Job - He tells us too that He is God and we are not. Sometimes we need to turn off our logic and amp up our knower and just trust - He is God and we are not. He created everything and we did not. He parts seas and causes lame people to walk and feeds 5,000 with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. He deserves our praise just because He is God.
So, when you don't understand and have no answers as to why and it seems that God has left you and no matter how many questions you ask or arguments you start God remains silent...in times like that just remember....
He is God and you are not!
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