How Job’s questions—and God’s—shed light on what we’re asking
By Dean Collins
You are not the only one who asks questions. Teachers and professors ask questions of students. Students also ask their teachers questions. Sometimes the questions are because inquiring minds want to know and sometimes they just want to know enough to pass the exam. Parents often ask questions to make sure they understand what is expected by a teacher or a coach. Parents also direct questions to doctors and counselors checking to make sure they understand the child’s behavior and childhood illnesses.
We often can find an answer to life’s daily questions. Sometimes we can’t. Occasionally we get what some call a “softball” question. A slow-pitch softball, especially if it is placed on a tee, is easier to hit. Softball questions are the easy ones to answer. We would all likely prefer all of life’s questions to be softball questions. But they usually are not.
Listening to Job’s questions
Anyone feeling up to tackling some of Job’s questions? The questions Job asked in his suffering were difficult. Then, when God started his questions in chapter 38, the questions got harder. Job had no answers. Neither did his friends. God asked Job 77 questions. Thank goodness there is no evidence that these questions are not requirements for success in life or as an entrance exam for eternity!
The dialogue between Job and his friends goes on for many chapters. What may have been an attempt to comfort Job turned into accusations and judgment, much of it out of ignorance of Job and especially of God’s perspective. This dialogue looks very familiar. It isn’t very hard to find daily rants and judgments on social media platforms as people claim to know or understand each other, their positions in politics, their life experiences, their faith, and more. Job’s friends overstepped in a fashion very similar to much of our current practices with each other. Things did not resolve for Job until God started with his questions and finally with his rebuke of Job’s friends. I’m pretty sure we would rather not hear God’s rebuke of us and our often-displayed shared ignorance.
The tension between Job and his friends and with God did not resolve until there was repentance for their ignorance followed by prayer. God told Job to pray for his friends after they offered their burnt offerings. The Lord accepted Job’s prayer and restored Job beyond his wildest imagination.
Learning from Job’s story
It is probably best to not try and figure out which characters we are most like in the Job story. That approach seems unwise and totally misses the point. I think we can all agree that one lesson from Job is that none of us are God. We also learn that suffering is hard, sometimes lasts a long time, and is difficult to explain. We observe in this story that sitting in silence with someone in pain is often better than trying to explain their pain. And finally we see that God is always present, and while we may not fully see him or understand his plans, he is a God who specializes in full restoration.
Father, we humbly confess that what we know is far less than what we do not know or understand. Forgive us for the many times we have spoken to others in ignorance. Forgive us for the many times we have justified ourselves and our positions both publicly and privately. We are in awe of your power, your knowledge, your presence, and your love. We bow before you in need of your mercy and grace as we learn to walk with you and learn to love and support each other. Forgive us and restore us. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
Your time with God’s Word
Job 38:2-7, 19-21; 39:19, 26-27; 42:1-10
Photo by Emily Morter on Unsplash
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