By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
TUESDAY
THEME: “SHALL THE ONE WHO CONTENDS WITH THE ALMIGHTY CORRECT HIM?”
SCRIPTURE: Job 40:2-4
[2]“Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it.” [3]Then Job answered the Lord and said: [4]“Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth.”
REFLECTIONS
Indeed, we do not and cannot understand God and His ways. Who among us can answer the question God posed to Job in Job 40:9, “Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His?” With the continued interrogation, God speaks first in verses 1 and 2, “[1]Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said: [2]“Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it.” Verses 3-5 state, “[3]Then Job answered the Lord and said: [4]“Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth. [5]Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”
After being bombarded with tough questions, Job realized that humans are finite and cannot in any way fathom the ways of God. The best approach is to trust God in whichever way He leads. So, Job says: “What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth.” It is not ours to complain or fret and doubt His intentions. It takes us too long to appreciate God’s leading and how He does His things. We are not God. We should understand that we are human with enormous limitations. Thus, it will be for our good, best interest, and utmost joy if we could live by “Thus says the Lord.” Job realized this after he and his friends expressed ignorance at the highest level by discussing issues about God they had no insight into. Their understanding of God’s transcendence was limited, incomplete, and inconsistent.
Job, realizing his error, repented and confessed as recorded in Job 42:1-6: “[1]Then Job answered the Lord and said: [2]“I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. [3]You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. [4]Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ [5]“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. [6]Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.” Job teaches us that to discuss things about the divine when we have limitations in knowledge is a sin. In your suffering, be careful not to accuse God, for you do not understand His ways and purpose for your life. We must be cautious not to reduce the majesty of God to our level and perceive Him to behave and act like humans. We dare not compare ourselves with God – He is the Creator; we are His creatures.
Many, like Job, have gone through or are experiencing excruciating pain, protracted suffering, chronic ill health, deprivation, disappointing relationships, and lost everything that seemingly mattered and treasured in life, but be careful not to rebuke God, for you do not understand Him. Job’s encounter calls for faith to trust God. His majesty, power, and saving grace give us confidence that God blesses us if we can wait on Him. Beloved, if Job has taught us any lesson at all, it is patience, perseverance, and implicit faith in God which ties in perfectly with David’s testimony in Psalms 27:13-14, “[13]I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. [14]Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!”
Please be careful not to make any mistakes. Do not pretend to know the ways of God unless He reveals Himself to us; no one can know and understand Him. Our consolation is that one day if we remain faithful, there will be so much we will come to understand. One day, He will restore us as He did for Job with double blessings (Job 42:10-17). But for now, Deuteronomy 29:29 is our guide, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” The Lord is with you in your circumstances.
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
“My Tribute – To God Be the Glory” – Rendered by Natalie Grant and CeCe Winans
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for His patience and plans for your life; thank God for healing mercies and answers to your prayers; pray for increased faith, persevering trust, and witness about God’s grace;
– Pray for God’s intervention and healing for family members, loved ones, church members, and acquaintances who have been enduring pain in their bodies for months and years:
– Pray for the complete healing of accident victims, comfort for grieving families, lonely widows/widowers, well-being and future of orphans who are currently desperate;
– Pray for peace and respect for one another in the country; pray for Christians to inspire hope in our youth and the needy in society; pray for the word of God to change our lives and increase our faith in God.
