Where Were You?

 Job suffered greatly in life.

After losing family, property, health and friends he decided to "find God and present his case to Him."

He said he was going to "fill his mouth with arguments" and speak words with God until God gave him an answer as to why he had suffered so much loss and agony.

Here stands Job...hands on hip.....ready for God's explanation!

Have you been there?

I have.....not a good place for the clay to stand up demanding an explanation from the Potter/Creator of life.

But we do it at times.....come crashing into the Throne Room for an explanation. An answer we could never understand if it were given.

When such answers either aren't understood or not what we desire, hearts can become bitter, even turning against the One who works all things according to His own wisdom.

Have you ever done this? I have.

I remember clearly a moment of decision that I once made during a time of great sorrow and loss. I told a friend that I simply could not take one more step through the difficulties I had been given.

I remember reaching to take my Bible off the shelf that evening for my evening devotion. I then decided to push it back and turn a hard heart to the Lord.

I falsely reasoned in my heart that if God loved me He wouldn't allow me to suffer so much. So......since it seemed He didn't love me, I was not going to try to follow Him anymore. I made some choices that only hurt myself and soon came running back to my Savior. It didn't take long in the darkness of rebellion to miss His sweet presence and love.

I learned to embrace the cross with Him and to walk in obedience to His will rather than to my own desires. I learned, like Job, to be content in God's sovereignty and plans.....a lesson I am still having to relearn from time to time by the way.

When Job questioned God, God answered him with His own question.....

"Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?"

In other words,  "Who are you to question My wisdom with such ignorant words?"

Then God asks another question....

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

Have you commanded the morning?

Can you set the stars dominion over the earth?

Does the hawk fly by your wisdom?

Does the eagle mount up at your command?

The Lord answered Job.....

"Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?

Job responded in humility and understanding...."Behold I am vile. What can I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth."

We are always going to have situations in our lives that have the potential to cause us to ask questions that cannot be answered to our satisfaction.

We will have circumstances we have to walk through that are not to our liking.

These places can be a time of upset as we cast about for an explanation, and demand to know the reason "Why!?".......or they can become an altar, where in our confusion, sorrow and need, we bow the knee to our Lord, knowing that an answer may not come, or if it does it may not soothe the pain. 

So, here, willingly, we place our hand over our mouth as Job did, and learn anew the lesson of being content in God's sovereign choices, and finding our comfort in His mercy and sweet presence.

I remember the day I left God. And I remember the day He welcomed home His prodigal daughter with open arms of love and forgiveness.

I learned that the pain of bearing the cross in the presence of His light and love, was better than running from Him into darkness and loneliness apart from Him.

It's never too late to come home dear one.

Thank you Jesus......You do all things well...thank You for welcoming home Your hurting children.