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CHAPTER 38 (ESV)

1 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.
5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone,
7 when the morning stars sang together
and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

REFLECTION:

Finally, God spoke to Job from a powerful whirlwind. Amazingly, he did not answer any of the questions raised by Job directly, because Job’s questions were not at the heart of the argument. God used Job’s ignorance of the order He established in the natural world to reveal to Job that he also disregarded God’s moral order. If Job didn’t understand God’s creation in the physical world, how could he understand God’s mind in building up people on a spiritual level? There is no higher standard of judgment in the world than God, and God Himself is the standard. When you encounter a similar confusion in your life, don’t rush to ask God to get a seemingly clear answer, because God’s many good intentions for you are not immediately known to you. Your only choice is to obey God’s will and trust in His care and guidance.

PRAYER:

God, Your knowledge is marvelous; it is beyond my comprehension. Your supremacy is beyond my reach. If I cannot even understand Your work of creation in the material world, how can I grasp Your purposes in shaping the human spirit on a spiritual level? When I encounter suffering and confusion, please help me not to rush for seemingly clear answers, as many of Your good intentions for me are not immediately discernible. Please help me to follow Your will and trust in Your care and guidance.

HYMN:

Be Thou My Vision – m.youtube.com/watch?v=Optrm7lF16s