THE GREATNESS OF GOD

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Then Job replied:

“Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God? Though they wished to dispute with him, they could not answer him one time out of a thousand. His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed? He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger. He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble. He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; He seals off the light of the stars. He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”

Job 9:1-10

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

I think we can all agree that life can be hard sometimes. In fact, there are times when it is extremely difficult to handle.

And we can’t always plan for these times when life goes south. Often, things happen in the blink of an eye and change life forever. A tragic death. A test result and diagnosis from a physician. A lost job. A natural disaster that takes away a home.

Yes, life can change in a moment and turn us upside down. Just ask Job.

Described as a blameless and upright servant of God, he had everything going for him. A large number of livestock. A wonderful family to include beautiful children. Good health. He was on easy street.

Then in the course of a few days, it all changed. He lost all his livestock. His children were killed. And he was terribly afflicted with sores from head to toe. Job’s misfortunes exemplified the saying, “From the penthouse to the outhouse.”

As we have read Job’s words after his affliction, he has been bitter, wishing he had never been born. And despite his friends best efforts to get Job back on track spiritually, he rejected their attempts, unable to understand why God would allow him to have to suffer so. Job’s resentment over his circumstances was drawing him away from God and in doing so taking away his inner peace.

If only Job had been able to have access to the words of Paul when he was going through his troubles. For in just two verses penned for the Philippian church, Paul captured God’s prescription for dealing with life’s challenges and hardships. He wrote:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

We’re instructed by God’s word to not be anxious about anything. No anxiety about any thing in life. And that goes for other negative emotions similar to anxiety…like stress, worry, or fear. We’re not to allow any of it to happen.

How in the world do we do that?

We trust in God and His greatness.

You see, Job was well aware of the greatness of God. Look at the first verses in Chapter 9. Job wrote of a God who had the following qualities:

- Displays profound wisdom.

- Possesses vast power.

- Ability to move mountains or even overturn them if He so wanted to.

- Ability to shake the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble.

- Could control the sun to include not allowing it to shine.

- Could seal off the light of the stars.

- Was the only One who could stretch out the heavens and tread on the waves of the sea.

- The Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.

- Performs wonders that cannot be fathomed.

- Performs countless miracles.

Job knew what God could do. We should know as well. So why would we ever be anxious or worry or stress or fear? The greatness of God revealed to us through the scriptures and witnessed by us in our life experience is there for us to help us through our circumstances. God is for us, not against us. That’s good news, is it not?

This is why we need to place our burdens, whatever they might be at the throne of the Most High God and entrust them to His miraculous, wondrous, vast power. This is why we need to trust that what He is doing in our lives, even if we are suffering, is for our good because His wisdom is so profound and beyond our comprehension. We need to fully understand that God has worked greater miracles than helping us get through our present circumstances.

And so we go to Him in prayer and petition with thanksgiving, giving Him everything that is troubling us…unloading the weight off of our shoulders and giving it to the only One who can bear it.

When we truly get this and do it, something amazing happens. We find peace…and not just any peace…no, we find a peace that transcends understanding, a peace that no one or nothing can give you. Not your pastor, not your parents, not your spouse, not your friends, not some self help book or meditation routine.

No, only God can give a peace that transcends understanding. This is what Job was missing. In the midst of trying to figure out why things were happening to him, relying on his own understanding, Job was not surrendering and submitting his burdens to God. And subsequently, he was far from receiving the peace that transcends understanding. Instead, he suffered from inner torment.

Friends, why is it so hard for us to just trust the God of Creation? We, just as Job, know of His almighty power and might and yet we just fail to connect the dots and see that the same power that He used to rescue and redeem His beloved people of Israel (reference parting the sea or providing manna and quail in the desert) is available to help you and I.

Today and forever more, let’s all make a solemn vow to do just that. To fully realize God for His greatness…for who He is and what He can do…then trust that He is working powerfully in and around us and is only a prayer away to help us with our circumstances and lead us into a peace that transcends understanding.

Who doesn’t yearn for that?

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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