God’s Playfulness

Readings for today: Job 40:6-42:17, Psalms 29

I have two dogs. One named Dusty. One named Dusty Junior. It’s kind of a quirky thing about my family that we all name our dogs “Dusty.” My mom has a Dusty. My brother has a Dusty. I’ve had seven Dusty’s in my life. My dad had like seventeen Dusty’s in his lifetime. My wife and I are already planning for the day when our older dog passes away and we need to adopt a new puppy. Yes, his name will be Dusty. I not only own dogs, I love dogs. I love playing with them. I love wrestling with them. I love walking with them. I love exploring the open space behind our house with them. My dogs also love me. They greet me every morning with excitement and energy. They follow me around when I am home. They always want to be in the same room with me. In fact, they always make sure to lay down beside me. It’s just part of our dynamic.

This is the picture I have in mind when I read about God’s interactions with Behemoth and Leviathan. I love how God describes His relationship with them. “Can you play with Leviathan, like a bird, or tie it on a leash for your girls?” (Job‬ ‭41‬:‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬) For my part, the image of God playing with His creation is one of the most powerful descriptions of His sovereignty. He not only rules over all He has made. He not only judges all He has made. But He is so comfortable and in such control that He relates to even the most powerful creatures on the planet like I relate to my dogs. He plays with them. He ties them on a leash. He leads them around by the nose. He hooks them like a fish. It’s a beautiful, delightful picture.

It’s also a picture that confronts us just like it confronted Job with the vast and unbridgeable distance that exists between us and God. God is wholly other. He is not like us. He is not the best version of us. He is not the ideal projection of us. He is unique. He stands alone and apart. He has no rival and no equal. He is not part of His creation but stands above it and beyond it. He is not answerable to us. He is not responsible to us. He is not accountable to us. Just like my dogs have no right to demand anything from me, I have no right to demand anything from God. This is the lesson Job learned and it’s the lesson we need to learn as well.

Readings for tomorrow: Exodus 1-4

Reverence

Readings for today: Job 37-40:1-5, Psalms 19

God is God and we are not. That’s the essence of the message of the Book of Job and it’s a tough one to swallow. The reality is we all like to pretend we are gods. Masters of our own universe. Captains of our own destiny. We like to pretend that we are in control when in fact we are not. God is moving in ways we cannot see or understand. He is doing things above and beyond us. He is working all things for His glory in the world. He has His purposes. We are simply His instruments. Beloved? Yes. Cherished? Yes. Esteemed? Yes. But our relationship with God comes with responsibilities. Our adoption into God’s family as His sons and daughters comes with a certain set of expectations. Though we are heirs to all things in Christ, we ourselves are not Christ. Though the Father has given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, we are not to assume this makes us into gods ourselves. Humility and repentance are the key to a well-lived life before God and Job shows us the way. 

“Then the Lord answered Job: “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let the person who accuses God give him an answer!” Then Job answered the Lord: “Indeed, I am completely unworthy – how could I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth to silence myself. I have spoken once, but I cannot answer; twice, but I will say no more.” (Job‬ ‭40‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬) So this is the answer we’ve been waiting for? After all those chapters? All those speeches? All those grief-stricken cries from Job? This is how God answers Job? The hard and honest truth is there is no reason for Job’s suffering. Not that God gives. Not that Job can understand. Not in this moment. Not when he’s still hurting and struggling and lashing out at God. Job must be humbled. He must come to an understanding of who he is and who he’s addressing. And that’s exactly what happens. Job immediately shuts his mouth. He immediately acknowledges his unworthiness before the Lord.

This is what I love about Job. This is what makes Job righteous and blameless in God’s sight.  This is ultimately why God will affirm His servant Job and judge Job’s friends. Job is repentant. Job is humble. Job is contrite.  When God finally answers him out of the whirlwind, Job responds with reverence, fear, and awe. The only appropriate response when we come before the Lord. He gets on his knees. He bows his head. He closes his mouth. He covers his eyes. He is finished speaking. There are no more words to say. God is present. God is here. 

Readings for tomorrow: Job 40:6-42:17, Psalms 29

Rock Bottom

Readings for today: Job 29-32

Have you ever hit rock bottom? Ever come to a place where you had nothing left? I think about the many people I’ve counseled over the years who have struggled with substance abuse. They often lose their jobs. Their homes. Their families. Eventually all the lies they tell themselves and others get exposed. All the manipulative games they’ve played as they’ve tried to hold things together come to an end. They find themselves with nothing left. Nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide. That’s what it sounds like to me when I read the final words from Job.

He has clearly come to the end of himself. He looks back with longing for the days when things were good. When he walked closely with God. When he was respected in the community. When he was able to be generous to others. When he had the energy and the resources to help others. He was sure this was how his days would end. He was sure his future was secure. But then calamity struck. His fortunes took a turn for the worse. His reputation in the community suffered a mortal blow. Now the very same people who used to love and respect him, mock him. The very same people he helped and served along the way now rise up against him. His life has been poured out. His energy and resources utterly depleted. His expectations of a long and fruitful life dashed. He’s tried crying out to God but to no avail. There seems to be no answer. Heaven is closed. He is alone. The walls have closed in all around him. There is no one to give him any comfort or any relief.

As I’ve shared numerous times over the years, I know how Job feels. In the summer of 2009, I found myself in a similar place. The ministry I was leading imploded, costing me several relationships. It was the most painful experience of my life. Members of the board I served under threatened me. Those I considered friends abandoned me. My relationships at home with my wife and children were strained at best. I was not handling it well. I made so many mistakes during that time. I tried as hard as I could to redeem the situation in my own strength. But the harder I tried, the worse things got. I too cried out to God but to no avail. There seemingly was no answer. Heaven felt closed to me. My prayers bounced off the ceiling. Finally, after months of spending hours in prayer, I broke down. I wept. I told God I had nothing left. My words were ended.

“The words of Job are ended.” (Job 31:40 NET) This is a good thing. It’s always good to exhaust our words so we can begin listening for God’s Word. It’s always good to shut our mouths so we can open our ears. It’s always good to come to the end of ourselves so we can find a new beginning with God. Over the course of my life, I have found God does His best work in the empty spaces of my life when I have nothing left to give. So make your final appeal. Cry out to God with all you’ve got. Exhaust yourself and your energy and your resources assailing the heavens. Know that God is with you even as you do and when you are finished, He will speak. He will comfort. He will guide.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 33-36

Wisdom

Readings for today: Job 25-28

Our world is filled with knowledge. We have so much knowledge we literally do not know what to do with it. So much information coming at us from every angle. The average person is inundated with well over a hundred emails every day. Not to mention texts. Phone calls. Social media interactions. A single issue of the New York Times contains more information than a person a hundred or so years ago might have learned in an entire year. The news is relentless. The fake news endless. Technology ubiquitous. We cannot escape. We cannot rest. And what has all this knowledge gained us? Rising rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide. Rising rates of fear, violence, and hate. All this in a world that is demonstrably improving with each passing year. Why? What are we missing? What is the source of our persistent discontent?

Wisdom. Wisdom is the key. We simply do not know the path to wisdom or we refuse to take it. Today’s reading from the Book of Job is on point. "Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the ground, and rock is poured out as copper…On the flinty rock man has set to work with his hand; he has overturned mountains at their bases. He has cut out channels through the rocks; his eyes have spotted every precious thing. He has searched the sources of the rivers and what was hidden he has brought into the light. But wisdom – where can it be found? Where is the place of understanding? Mankind does not know its place; it cannot be found in the land of the living.” (Job‬ ‭28‬:‭1‬-‭2‬, ‭9‬-‭13‬ ‭NET‬‬) Human beings are capable of great things. We literally move mountains. We climb the highest mountains. We delve in the deep places of the earth. We’ve learned to fly. We’ve explored the depths of the oceans. We know how to do so very much. But for all our strength and power and knowledge and ability, we have yet to find the path to wisdom. We didn’t find it on the mountaintops. We searched for it in vain in the trenches of the seas. Despite our vast wealth we could not find a vender who sold it.

Only God knows the path to wisdom. Only God knows how to take all of our knowledge and order it in such a way that it leads to blessing and human flourishing. “But wisdom – where does it come from? Where is the place of understanding? For it has been hidden from the eyes of every living creature, and from the birds of the sky it has been concealed. Destruction and Death say, ‘With our ears we have heard a rumor about where it can be found.’ God understands the way to it, and he alone knows its place…And he said to mankind, ‘The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’” (Job‬ ‭28‬:‭20‬-‭23‬, ‭28‬ ‭NET‬‬) Fear the Lord. Submit to His ways. Surrender to His will. Let Him guide and direct your steps. This is the path to wisdom. God’s promise to those who follow Him is that He will lead us to green pastures and beside still waters. To places of peace where our souls will be restored. Job understands we cannot find these places on our own. We cannot get to these places on our own. Our knowledge is simply not enough. We must let God take us by the hand. We must trust God with our lives and our future. We must have faith that He knows best.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 29-32

When God Feels Absent

Readings for today: Job 22-24

There is nothing more terrifying than the feeling of existential loneliness. The belief that I am all alone in the universe. A cosmic accident. A product of random, impersonal forces. A collection of atoms. No divine purpose. No human dignity. No moral center. Recently a friend of mine challenged me with this question, “When was the last time you knew Jesus was real and this wasn’t all just a bunch of b**sh**t?” Such a great question. One that deserves a thoughtful answer. I told him about a time three years ago when I was in a rural area in the Horn of Africa. Suffering from jet lag. Lying awake on a hard bed praying for someone I loved dearly who was fighting an incredible battle. After exhausting all my words, I finally gave up and cried out to God, “Jesus, I just don’t have any more words to pray.” In that moment, I experienced the Holy Spirit coming over me in a powerful way. He began to pray for me according to His promise in Romans 8:26. I was overwhelmed. Unable to move for about an hour. At the end of that time, I found myself weeping in relief at the palpable presence of God in my life.

At the same time, I have also had moments where I experienced God’s absence. Much like Job, I didn’t know where to find Him. I couldn’t perceive Him. My prayers felt like they were bouncing off the ceiling. Perhaps that’s why I resonate so deeply with the words we read today, “O that I knew where I might find him, that I could come to his place of residence! I would lay out my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments…If I go to the east, he is not there, and to the west, yet I do not perceive him. In the north when he is at work, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I see no trace of him. But he knows the pathway that I take; if he tested me, I would come forth like gold.” (Job‬ ‭23‬:‭3‬-‭4‬, ‭8‬-‭10‬‬‬ NET) Historically, these moments are called the “dark night of the soul.” Moments in a person’s life where they find themselves wandering in deep darkness. Hopeless. Helpless. Despairing. They can last for days, months, or even years. And, as I said above, there is nothing more terrifying than feeling like you’ve been abandoned by God. It’s why Jesus’ cry from the cross is so horrible. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The experience of God-forsakenness is a taste of hell on earth. It’s not something I would wish on anybody, not even my worst enemy. But it is the experience of Job. And what makes Job such a profound example of faith is that He is somehow able to hold onto God even when he cannot find Him. He is able to follow God even when he cannot see Him. He is able to trust God even when he cannot feel Him. It’s why he says at the end of his own cry of dereliction, “But he knows the pathway that I take; if he tested me, I would come forth like gold.” What a testimony of faith!

Every Christian I have ever known has suffered a dark night of the soul. Every Christian I have ever known has walked through the valley of the shadow of death. Every Christian I have ever known has experienced the absence of God in certain seasons of life. The key in those moments is to trust God even when we cannot see Him or sense Him or feel Him or perceive Him. Our faith must transcend beyond our five senses. We must believe in the midst of our doubts and questions and fears. We must remain convinced that God will fulfill His promises though it may not be according to our time or according to our plan. This is the essence of saving faith.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Meeting God in the Darkness

Readings for today: Job 18-21

There is nothing worse than feeling like God Himself is against you. I remember experiencing the darkness of such despair in the summer/fall of 2009. I was living in Wisconsin. The church I was planting had completely collapsed. The board I was working for had turned against me. One of the members even threatened me physically. I had no friends locally. My marriage was on shaky ground. My children were wondering what was wrong. The future looked bleak at best. Everything I once held dear was taken away from me. I spent most nights pacing in my living room, wearing a path in the carpet, crying out to God. Some nights I wept. Some nights I shook my fist at Him in anger. Some nights I just sat staring into the flames of our fireplace. I was at a complete loss as to what to do or where to turn. I felt a lot like Job…

“If I cry out, ‘Violence!’ I receive no answer; I cry for help, but there is no justice. He has blocked my way so I cannot pass, and has set darkness over my paths. He has stripped me of my honor and has taken the crown off my head. He tears me down on every side until I perish; he uproots my hope like one uproots a tree. Thus his anger burns against me, and he considers me among his enemies. His troops advance together; they throw up a siege ramp against me, and they camp around my tent.” (Job‬ ‭19‬:‭7‬-‭12‬ ‭NET‬‬)

After several weeks of averaging around 3-4 hours of sleep a night, I finally broke down. I had nothing left. My strength was gone. I had run out of options. I was paralyzed by fear and anxiety over how I would provide for my family. All I could see was darkness. I remember sitting on the couch. No more tears left to cry. No more energy left to yell at God. No more words left to say. I just sat there in the darkness. In the silence. Terrified and all alone. And that’s when I heard God say, “Are you finally ready to surrender?” My only answer was “yes.” God had stripped my life down to the studs. He had crucified my ego and pride. He surrounded me and hemmed me in and increased the pressure on me until I finally broke. It was painful on so many levels and yet it was exactly what I needed. I discovered what Job discovered in the ashes and dust of his own life. God is all I need. God is more than enough. God is faithful. He will never leave me or forsake me.

I think that’s why, in the midst of his tremendous suffering, Job still clings to faith. “O that my words were written down, O that they were written on a scroll, that with an iron chisel and with lead they were engraved in a rock forever! As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that as the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.” (Job‬ ‭19‬:‭23‬-‭26‬ ‭NET‬‬) Job lost everything, including his physical health, and still he believes. Still he trusts that he will see God. Still he knows his Redeemer lives. Do you?

Readings for tomorrow: Job 22-24

Small Comfort

Readings for today: Job 14-17

We live in a world of hot takes. Harsh critique. Where everyone seems to be in a rush to judgment. We do not listen well. We do not seek to understand. In some circles, I’m even starting to see a rejection of empathy. It’s crazy to me and it reminds me of Job’s friends. They start so well. When they hear of all the tragic events of Job’s life, they rush to be with him. For seven days they sit with him in the ashes and dust of his life. They are quiet. Silent. Letting Job grieve. Letting Job weep. But when Job starts to process his grief, they can’t help themselves. They feel compelled to respond. To defend God. To correct Job. And their words are such small comfort.

“I have heard many things like these before. What miserable comforters are you all! Will there be an end to your windy words? Or what provokes you that you answer? I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could pile up words against you and I could shake my head at you. But I would strengthen you with my words; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.” (Job‬ ‭16‬:‭2‬-‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬)

Job’s not looking for theological answers. Job’s not looking for an intellectual discussion about the nature of sin and suffering. Job already knows these things. He is well-versed in his understanding of humanity’s relationship with God. He’s under no illusion as to his place in God’s universe. In his grief and pain and heartbreak, he simply is crying out to God. He’s asking for an audience with His Lord, the God he has served faithfully his entire life. Rather than arguing with him, what Job needs from his friends is encouragement. Comfort. Empathy. He needs his friends to come alongside him and listen to him and love him rather than correct him.

I don’t know about you but the last thing I need when I am hurting is unwanted and unasked for advice. The last thing I need when I am suffering is someone to try to tell me how to feel or how to think. The last thing I need when I am in pain is someone trying to rob of my right to my feelings. I just need someone to listen. I just need someone to sit with me in dust and ashes. I just need someone to let me know they love me. Interestingly enough, when God finally shows up at the end of the Book of Job, He doesn’t offer many answers. His presence is all the comfort Job needs.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 18-21

Hopeless

Readings for today: Job 10-13

Ever felt hopeless in your life? Ever get to a place where no matter what you did, things turned out worse? Ever find yourself in a position where the walls were closing in and you had no escape? No safety net? No one to catch you when you fall? This is what Job felt like in the face of all he suffered. Hopelessness is a terrible thing. The loss of hope is one of the worst things that can happen to a human being. If we don’t have hope, we lose any motivation to keep on living. We lose any desire to keep on striving. The results are often tragic. Either we give up or we find a way to end it all or we shuffle through the rest of life like a zombie with no sense of purpose or direction.

I think of the many people I have counseled over the years who found themselves on the verge of hopelessness. Some of them were fighting terrible, wasting diseases like ALS or Alzheimer’s and they wondered what value their life could possibly hold as their physical bodies failed. Some were fighting terrible addictions and they wondered how life could be worth living under such oppressive, compulsive, and seemingly irresistible self-destructive desires. Some were fighting mental health conditions like schizophrenia or anorexia or clinical depression and they wondered what the point of life might be when so much of what they experienced was darkness. Still others suffered from deep emotional and relational pain. Still others had seen everything they had built professionally come crashing down around them. There is so much pain and heartbreak in our world that leads to hopelessness and despair and we wonder where God is in the midst of it all.

Listen to how Job describes his own feelings of hopelessness, “If I am guilty, woe to me, and if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head; I am full of shame, and satiated with my affliction. If I lift myself up, you hunt me as a fierce lion, and again you display your power against me.” (Job‬ ‭10‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬) There is nothing worse than feeling like life has no point. Nothing worse than feeling like no matter what we do, we are still doomed to suffer. Nothing worse than thinking it doesn’t matter if one is good or evil because we all end up in the same place. This is where Job finds himself in our reading today and yet he refuses to give up hope. He stubbornly clings to faith. He continues to cry out to God. Demanding an audience. Demanding an answer. Somewhere deep down, he knows what he’s experiencing is not right so he throws himself on God’s mercy. “Indeed, my eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it. What you know, I know also; I am not inferior to you! But I wish to speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God.” (Job‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭3 ‭NET‬‬)

Some believe the Book of Job is about the loss of faith. Some believe it is about deconstructing faith. I beg to differ. Job is a book that plumbs the depth of faith. It presents faith in it’s most real, most raw form. It shows us what faith looks like under immense pressure. It shows us how faith endures under the most difficult of circumstances. Job is a faithful man precisely because he continues to cry out to God. He refuses to let go. He is like Jacob wrestling with God down by the river. He is broken. He is beaten. He is wounded terribly, perhaps even mortally, and still he will not let go until God answers him. His friends all want him to compromise. His counselors all want him to exchange his deep and profound faith for superficial, theologically correct answers. His own wife wants him to renounce his faith, curse God, and die. But Job perseveres. He endures. He only tightens his grip on his faith. He refuses to give into hopelessness. Refuses to let despair have the final word.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 14-17

Death

Readings for today: Job 6-9

My father died suddenly in March of 2024. I remember the day vividly. I was driving with my son down to Colorado Springs where he had applied for college. We were supposed to do a tour of the university. My brother called me to tell me mom had come home from running errands to find my dad lying on the floor unresponsive. She called the paramedics. They tried to revive him to no avail. So we rushed home to be with mom while we waited for the coroner to come. Sitting at the dining room table with my father’s body lying on the floor in the room next to us was surreal to say the least. We couldn’t move him until the police came to do their investigation to make sure there was no foul play involved. So we sat together in silence while we waited.

I remember thinking back to some of these verses from Job. “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle and they come to an end without hope. Remember that my life is but a breath, that my eyes will never again see happiness….My days are swifter than a runner, they speed by without seeing happiness. They glide by like reed boats, like an eagle that swoops down on its prey.” (Job‬ ‭7:6-7, 9‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NET‬‬) Thankfully, my father’s life didn’t without hope. He had given his life to Christ the summer before while we were in Israel and I got the privilege of baptizing him in the Jordan River. But the point Job makes here still stands. Our days are numbered before we are born. Even if we are granted long life, our time on this earth is short. The point isn’t so much to count our days as to make our days count.

Job also speaks powerfully about despair. He is in a dark place. He is hurting. He is grieving. He is lonely. And he cries out to God. This too is an expression of his deep faith. He trusts God enough to be real and honest with Him. He knows God can handle his raw emotions. He doesn’t have to hold back. He doesn’t have to watch his words. He doesn’t have to tread carefully or walk on egg shells. He can speak to God from the depths of his depression with the confidence that God will hear his prayers. This is part of why I love reading Job each year. It reminds me of the times in my own life when I have struggled with depression and despair. Job gave me hope in those dark days that I too could cry out to God and be real and honest with Him. And, like Job, God met me at my lowest point and raised me up to new life again.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 10-13

The Problem of Suffering

Readings for today: Job 1-5

Suffering poses one the greatest challenges to faith. Why is there so much suffering in the world? Why is there so much suffering throughout history? Why do good people suffer? Why do innocent people suffer? Why does suffering seem so arbitrary? Why do some suffer greatly and others suffer not as much? It’s a puzzle. A riddle wrapped in a mystery. An enigma that has haunted humanity from the beginning. You may or may not know this but Job is the oldest book in the Bible. The first one written chronologically. And it’s fascinating to me that the problem it seeks to solve is the problem of suffering. Suffering is a universal condition. One we all experience. And the problem of suffering is one we all think about and wrestle over. I’ve traveled the world and no matter where I go, people want to know why suffering exists. They want to know how a good God could allow suffering. Is He good but powerless to act or is He all-powerful but perhaps doesn’t care? These are questions that cut to the heart. Furthermore, many of my atheist friends point to the fact that suffering is not something that just impacts the human race. The history of the world is full of incredible suffering. The mass extinction of most species - some 99% according to scientific estimates - seems astronomically high if there is a good God sovereignly reigning over all He has made.

The temptation is to try and talk about suffering on a philosophical level. Over-spiritualize what is a deeply personal, deeply painful experience. This is the mistake Job’s friends make. But Job refuses to allow his suffering to become abstract. His words are raw and honest and heartbreaking. Though he does not sin, he still faces reality. Though he does not blame God, he does demand an audience. Job seems more than willing to accept evil from God, not just good. He seems more than willing to accept that the Lord gives and takes away. He still praises God in the middle of his grief and pain but he also refuses to let go. He wants answers and in this way, Job represents all of us. I believe it’s why this book holds such wide influence across human cultures and even other religious traditions. No matter what perspective a person holds, there is something about Job that is deeply compelling.

As you read this book, challenge yourself to sit in the ashes with Job. Allow your own experience of suffering, whatever that may be, to shape how you read and respond to the words of Job and his friends. Don’t rush past the pain. Don’t try to avoid the tensions raised by Job. Don’t offer easy answers to the questions he poses. Just sit with him. Listen to him. Let your heart break with him. And let the Lord speak to your own experience of suffering as you let Job be your guide.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 6-9

Weakness

Readings for today: Job 40:6-42, Psalms 29

I remember the first time we took my son to the beach. We had just moved to Mobile, AL. He was all of two years old. When we crested the dune and looked out over the Gulf of Mexico, he got so excited. He started to run as fast as his little legs would take him to the water. All of a sudden, it dawned on him that the water was moving. Wave after wave was crashing in. He stopped in his tracks. Put his little arms out and started yelling, “You stop! You stop!” And then he began to cry as he realized the wind and the waves wouldn’t listen. I chuckled as I picked him up. We went into the water together. But I’ve often reflected back on that moment. What my son experienced there was utter powerlessness. Especially in the face of something awesome like an ocean. I’ve felt similarly when I look up in the night sky and see the stars. When I’m standing on top of a fourteen thousand foot mountain in the Rockies. When I’m in a rural village in the middle of nowhere on the other side of the world. It’s those moments when I truly understand how small and weak and insignificant I am.

Job has a similar moment when he encounters God. For almost forty chapters, he’s been crying for justice. Demanding God answer him and give an account for why everything has happened to him. He’s sat in sackcloth and ashes. He’s scraped his skin with broken pottery. His wife has cursed him. His friends have offered little consolation. He feels so alone. And then, amazingly, God does show up. But not to answer Job. Instead, God reminds him of his place in the world. His powerlessness. His helplessness. His finiteness. “Would you really challenge my justice? Would you declare me guilty to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God’s? Can you thunder with a voice like his? Adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and clothe yourself with honor and glory. Pour out your raging anger; look on every proud person and humiliate him. Look on every proud person and humble him; trample the wicked where they stand.  Hide them together in the dust; imprison them in the grave. Then I will confess to you that your own right hand can deliver you.” (Job‬ ‭40‬:‭8‬-‭14‬ ‭CSB‬‬) It’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. To be given a sober reminder of how little authority we actually have in this world. We are utterly unable to clothe ourselves with splendor and glory. Helpless to trample the wicked where they stand or humble the proud. Job wasn’t able to save his children. Job wasn’t able to exact retribution on those who killed his servants and stole his livestock. Job wasn’t able to heal himself from the disease that afflicted him. In short, Job had absolutely no power or authority to deliver himself much less challenge God.

The same is true for us. I think this is why the Psalmist declares, “The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned, King forever. The Lord gives his people strength; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” (Psalms‬ ‭29‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Everything we have comes from the Lord. It is God who works in us both to will and to work according to His good pleasure. It is only through Christ and His wisdom and strength that we can meet and overcome the challenges of our world. It is God who gives us a hope and a future as we follow His plan for our lives. It is God’s power that is made perfect in our weakness. So rather than grumble and complain all the time, we should be thankful. Thankful in the good times. Thankful in the hard times. Thankful when we have plenty. Thankful when we are struggling. Thankful for the Lord’s abiding and faithful presence in our lives.

Readings for tomorrow: Exodus 1-4

Insignificance

Readings for today: Job 37-40:5, Psalms 19

It is good to acknowledge our insignificance. It is good to understand our place in society, our place in the world, our place in the universe, our place in God’s eternal plan. We are so very small. So very weak. So very ignorant. We don’t begin to see even the edges of God’s ways. We see barely a fraction of what He sees and we understand even less. We are so limited. So finite. We don’t even know how to think rationally or process our emotions in a healthy way or search the recesses of our own hearts much less grasp the mysteries of the universe. Who are we to judge God? Who are we to question His ways? Who are we to argue with Him over justice and righteousness and the affairs of the world and the meaning of human suffering? Even the fact that we think we have the standing to ask these questions of the Creator of the universe betrays our arrogance. We are foolish. We are ignorant. And deep down we all know it.

Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu have all had their turn. They’ve all taken their best shot to explain why Job is suffering so much. They’ve all tried to answer Job’s questions. They’ve all done their best to defend God. But God doesn’t need our defense. God doesn’t need us to speak for Him. God doesn’t need to explain Himself to us. He is God. We are not. And He reminds Job and his friends of this reality as He speaks to them from the whirlwind. “Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind. He said: Who is this who obscures my counsel with ignorant words? Get ready to answer me like a man; when I question you, you will inform me. Where were you when I established the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.”(Job‬ ‭38‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Right from the jump, God puts Job in his place. It’s tempting to read anger into God’s words. Frustration. But that would be a projection. There is nothing here to indicate God is speaking out of wrath. He simply is reminding Job of how little he knows and understands.

Thankfully, Job responds with humility. He acknowledges his foolishness. He places his hand over his mouth. He refuses to speak again. All his protestations have gone silent. All his demands fall to the wayside as he falls on his face before the Lord in worship. “The Lord answered Job: Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who argues with God give an answer. Then Job answered the Lord: I am so insignificant. How can I answer you? I place my hand over my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not reply; twice, but now I can add nothing.” (Job‬ ‭40‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Here we see Job’s heart. Here we see Job’s character revealed. Job has never wavered in his love for God. Never wavered in his fear of God. Though he cried out to God in the midst of his pain and suffering, he never sins. He never curses God. And when God finally answers. When God finally shows up on the scene to confront Job. Job does what he always does. Job does what he’s done his whole life. He worships.

At the end of the day, all of us have to decide if we can trust God. Do we trust His plan for our lives and for our world? Do we trust His goodness even when it doesn’t make sense? Do we trust His righteousness even when we don’t understand? Do we trust Him to be faithful even when we are suffering? Listen again to the words of the Psalmist and ask the Holy Spirit to give you the faith to believe even in those seasons when you might be experiencing unbelief or doubts or questions or fears. “The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise. The precepts of the Lord are right, making the heart glad; the command of the Lord is radiant, making the eyes light up. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are reliable and altogether righteous.” (Psalms‬ ‭19‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Readings for tomorrow: Job 40:6-42, Psalms 29

Chronological Snobbery

Readings for today: Job 33-36

Elihu is a strange figure in Job. He appears seemingly out of nowhere and disappears just as quickly. He is not mentioned at the end of the book when God judges Job’s three other friends and commands Job to pray and offer sacrifices for them. This leads some scholars to believe the Elihu discourse is a later addition to the text. However, I think Elihu is there to represent the folly of youth. The latent chronological snobbery that all of us engage in when we are young and think we have all the right answers. Elihu doesn’t add much to the equation except to repeat the tired old argument that suffering is the direct consequence of human sin. There must be something Job has done to deserve his fate. His words, though perhaps asserted with more certainty, ring just as hollow as the others who have come to “comfort” Job.

I have raised four great kids. Four great humans who are making a difference in our world. I am so proud of each of them but it’s not always been easy. There were seasons, especially when they were in high school, when I went from the smartest man they knew to the dumbest. Almost overnight. Everything was an argument. I could say black and they would say white. I could say night and they would say day. I could say the sky is blue and they would say it’s actually a “blueish purple” but we only perceive it as blue because of how the wavelengths are impacted by the Earth’s atmosphere. If you’ve ever been the parent of a teenager, I am sure you understand. I remember one conversation where my oldest daughter was trying to convince me of the virtues of communism as a political philosophy. I had to remind myself over and over again that she had never seen the Berlin Wall fall. She had never experienced the Cold War. She had not yet studied the history of the 20th century where millions lost their lives under Communist regimes. Eventually, I told her I could introduce her to someone who had experienced the “virtues” of communism firsthand. A friend of mine who is a survivor of the “Killing Fields” of Pol Pot in Cambodia. This sobered her up a bit and it reminded me yet again of the folly of youth.

I was much the same way at her age. Convinced of my own righteousness. Utterly certain of my own thoughts and ideas. I engaged in all kinds of chronological snobbery as I dismissed the wisdom of those who came before me. Thankfully, life taught me some hard lessons. I’ve been humbled in any number of ways. I’ve learned to value the wisdom of those who’ve come before me and listen to their words. I’ve learned to not take myself too seriously or falsely assume I bring anything new to the table. I don’t. A wise man once said, “There’s nothing new under the sun.” I agree. Humanity seems forever locked in a cycle of “wash, rinse, repeat.” Our addiction to sin can only broken by the power of the gospel. What Elihu and Job’s other friends need is a fresh encounter with God and a reminder that no one speaks for God except God Himself.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 37-40:5, Psalms 19

Final Appeal

Readings for today: Job 29-32

Today we come to Job’s final appeal. He has come to the end of himself. He has nothing left. Nowhere else to go. No one else to turn to. He has hit rock bottom. He looks back with longing for the days when things were good. When he walked closely with God. When he was respected in the community. When he was able to be generous to others. When he had the energy and the resources to help others. He was sure this was how his days would end. He was sure his future was secure. But then calamity struck. His fortunes took a turn for the worse. His reputation in the community suffered a mortal blow. Now the very same people who used to love and respect him, mock him. The very same people he helped and served along the way now rise up against him. His life has been poured out. His energy and resources utterly depleted. His expectations of a long and fruitful life dashed. He’s tried crying out to God but to no avail. There seems to be no answer. Heaven is closed. He is alone. The walls have closed in all around him. There is no one to give him any comfort or any relief.

Have you ever hit rock bottom? Have you ever found yourself in a place where you feel like the walls are closing in? No one is left to help you? No one is left to comfort you? Not even God? In the summer of 2009 and into the fall, I found myself in such a place. The ministry I was leading had imploded, costing me several relationships. It was the most painful experience of my life. Members of my board threatened me. Those I considered friends abandoned me. My relationships at home with my wife and children were strained at best. I was not handling it well. I made so many mistakes during that time. I tried as hard as I could to redeem the situation in my own strength. But the harder I tried, the worse things got. I too cried out to God but to no avail. There seemingly was no answer. Heaven felt closed to me. My prayers bounced off the ceiling. Finally, after months of spending hours in prayer in the night, long after my family had gone to bed, I broke down. I wept. I told God I had nothing left. I finally surrendered. And I discovered God had been there all along. I just couldn’t sense Him in my pain and brokenness and sin.

“The words of Job are concluded.” (Job 31:40) This is a good thing. It’s always good to exhaust our words so we can begin listening for God’s Word. It’s always good to shut our mouths so we can open our ears. It’s always good to come to the end of ourselves so we can find a new beginning with God. Over the course of my life, I have found God does His best work in the empty spaces of my life when I have nothing left to give. So make your final appeal. Cry out to God with all you’ve got. Exhaust yourself and your energy and your resources assailing the heavens. Know that God is with you even as you do and when you are finished, He will speak. He will comfort. He will guide.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 33-36

Self Worth

Readings for today: Job 25-28

I have known people like Bildad. People who believe human beings are worms. Maggots. Vile, wretched creatures unworthy of God’s attention. Unfortunately, there are theological traditions in the Christian faith that promote such beliefs. In their zeal to underscore the vast chasm that exists between human beings and God, they lift up verses like the one from Job 25 today. “How can a human be justified before God? How can one born of woman be pure? If even the moon does not shine and the stars are not pure in his sight, how much less a human, who is a maggot, a son of man, who is a worm!” (‭‭Job‬ ‭25‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬) On some level, they are right but they are also only telling half the story. And half a truth is no truth at all. Yes, when compared to God, we are impure. We are unrighteous. We are unholy. This is why it is impossible to justify ourselves before Him. At the same time, we’ve been made a little lower than the angels. God loved us so much, He gave His only Son for us. God predestined us in love before the foundations of the world to be His children. Adopted into His family. Given all the rights and privileges therein. This is the beauty and the glory of the gospel. God sees our sin. He sees it all. There is nothing hidden from Him. Nothing to justify us in His sight. So He does for us what we cannot. He justifies us through His Son. He clothes us in His own righteousness. He sanctifies us by His own Spirit.

The gospel is the wisdom of God. It is the foolishness of God that confounds the wise. It is the weakness of God that overcomes the strong. It is the death of God that offers eternal life to the world. This is why it is impossible for us to find such wisdom on our own. It is antithetical to our nature. It cuts against the grain of our human experience. It requires us to find our self-worth in self-denial. It requires us to base our self-esteem on serving others. It requires us to give in order to receive. To love rather than seek to be loved. It crosses all boundaries. It breaks down all barriers. It tears down all the dividing walls of hostility that separate us from God and from one another. The history of humanity is a history of violence and suffering and pain. Much of it self-inflicted. As a species, we are naturally greedy and jealous and violent and angry and selfish. This maps out in how we choose to spend our time and energy and resources and who we choose to spend it with. It’s why tribalism is so rampant across the globe. But God offers us a different way. A narrow way. A way that leads to true joy, true peace, true love, and true fulfillment. This is the way Job is seeking amidst all he has suffered. Listen to his words again as things are starting to become more clear to him. “He said to humankind, “The fear of the Lord that is wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding.” (Job‬ ‭28‬:‭28‬ ‭CSB)

How are you living in the fear of the Lord today? How are you walking in the way of Jesus today? Are you living according to divine wisdom or your own wisdom? Are you living empowered by divine strength or your own strength? Are you seeking to turn from evil and sin in your life or are you trusting what feels good and seems good to you? The only way to discover your true worth is to find it in Christ.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 29-32

The Absence of God

Readings for today: Job 22-24

There is nothing more terrifying than the feeling of existential loneliness. The belief that I am all alone in the universe. A cosmic accident. A product of random, impersonal forces. A collection of atoms. No divine purpose. No human dignity. No moral center. Recently a friend of mine challenged me with this question, “When was the last time you knew Jesus was real and this wasn’t all just a bunch of b**sh**t?” Such a great question. One that deserves a thoughtful answer. I told him about a time three years ago when I was in a rural area in the Horn of Africa. Suffering from jet lag. Lying awake on a hard bed praying for someone I loved dearly who was fighting an incredible battle. After exhausting all my words, I finally gave up and cried out to God, “Jesus, I just don’t have any more words to pray.” In that moment, I experienced the Holy Spirit coming over me in a powerful way. He began to pray for me according to His promise in Romans 8:26. I was overwhelmed. Unable to move for about an hour. At the end of that time, I found myself weeping in relief at the palpable presence of God in my life.

At the same time, I have also had moments where I experienced God’s absence. Much like Job, I didn’t know where to find Him. I couldn’t perceive Him. My prayers felt like they were bouncing off the ceiling. Perhaps that’s why I resonate so deeply with the words we read today, “If only I knew how to find him, so that I could go to his throne. I would plead my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments…If I go east, he is not there, and if I go west, I cannot perceive him. When he is at work to the north, I cannot see him; when he turns south, I cannot find him. Yet he knows the way I have taken; when he has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold.” (Job‬ ‭23‬:‭3‬-‭4‬, ‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Historically, these moments are called the “dark night of the soul.” Moments in a person’s life where they find themselves wandering in deep darkness. Hopeless. Helpless. Despairing. They can last for days, months, or even years. And, as I said above, there is nothing more terrifying than feeling like you’ve been abandoned by God. It’s why Jesus’ cry from the cross is so horrible. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The experience of God-forsakenness is a taste of hell on earth. It’s not something I would wish on anybody, not even my worst enemy. But it is the experience of Job. And what makes Job such a profound example of faith is that He is somehow able to hold onto God even when he cannot find Him. He is able to follow God even when he cannot see Him. He is able to trust God even when he cannot feel Him. It’s why he says at the end of his own cry of dereliction, “Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold.” What a testimony of faith!

Every Christian I have ever known has suffered a dark night of the soul. Every Christian I have ever known has walked through the valley of the shadow of death. Every Christian I have ever known has experienced the absence of God in certain seasons of life. The key in those moments is to trust God even when we cannot see Him or sense Him or feel Him or perceive Him. Our faith must transcend beyond our five senses. We must believe in the midst of our doubts and questions and fears. We must remain convinced that God will fulfill His promises though it may not be according to our time or according to our plan. This is the essence of true saving faith.

Readings for tomorrow: No readings on Sundays

Vindication

Readings for today: Job 18-21

In the midst of his terrible suffering, Job holds fast to three fundamental convictions...

1. God is sovereign.

2. God is good and just.

3. Job is faithful.  

These convictions give him the strength to resist his friends when they offer their simplistic, superficial, and ultimately heretical explanations for his suffering. They also give him the courage to stand before the judgment seat of God, trusting the Lord for vindication. We see this reflected in what are perhaps the most famous verses in the Book of Job, “But I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the end he will stand on the dust. Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet I will see God in my flesh. I will see him myself; my eyes will look at him, and not as a stranger. My heart longs within me.” (Job‬ ‭19‬:‭25‬-‭27‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Job, of course, has no idea who Jesus is. The life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God will not be revealed for many centuries. But Job does have faith. He looks forward, as do all the Old Testament saints, to a future yet to be revealed, trusting in a God who will make all things right and all things new. 

Job’s suffering resists all logic. It resists any and all attempts to make sense out of it. It resists the formulaic notions we have about cause and effect. Blessing and curse. Health and wealth. It forces us to grapple with the hard truth that the righteous do suffer. The unrighteous do prosper. Bad things happen to good people. Good things happen to evil people. There is no rhyme or reason to these things. Time and chance happen to us all as the writer of Ecclesiastes once wrote. The world we live in is broken. Utterly. Completely. It is a world enslaved to the power of Sin. A world ruled by the tyrannical fear of Death. If things happen to go well for us in this world, it is not because we are good or because we earned it. It is far more likely that it is random chance. This is why we cannot set our hearts on the things of this earth but on things above.  

A friend of mine recently watched a show where the Book of Job was featured. The conclusion of the character who was wrestling with the text was that ultimately all Job received in the end was new children and a case of PTSD. That’s actually a common interpretation of the text both in our culture today and in many churches. Like Job’s friends, it’s a far too simplistic approach to the text. It betrays our unwillingness to really sit and take the time to “hear” Job. To marvel at his courageous faith. To wonder at his steadfast, some may call it stubborn, refusal to let go of the goodness and justice and sovereignty of God. Why doesn’t Job ever throw in the towel? Why doesn’t Job do what his wife suggested at the beginning? Why doesn’t Job curse God and die like so many have throughout the centuries and like so many do today? Because Job believes. Job has faith. He knows his Redeemer lives. He knows he will meet God face to face after he dies and he trusts God to be faithful. Though it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God, Job ultimately trusts God for his vindication. 

Readings for tomorrow: Job 22-24

Slow to Talk

Readings for today: Job 14-17

When I was young, someone told me I had two ears and one mouth for a reason. I should listen at least twice as much as I speak. Unfortunately, I have been known to violate that principle over the years. When I first became a pastor, I thought I needed to offer a lot of theological wisdom. Especially when people were hurting or suffering or dealing with end of life issues. I thought I was being helpful by trying to answer their questions. Explain the “why” behind the “what.” I could not have been more wrong. I could not have been more foolish. What they needed was someone to listen. Someone to sit with them in the ashes and weep with them. Someone to simply be present.

Job’s friends started off so well. They came to Job in his pain. They sat with him for days in silence. They brought the comfort through their presence. Eventually Job started to give words to what he was feeling. He was raw. He was angry. He was full of despair. It had to be hard to listen to. I know because I’ve been there. It’s so tempting in those moments to try to offer answers. But Job’s not really looking for answers. Sadly, Job’s friends can’t resist. They feel the need to explain to Job why he finds himself in such a terrible state. They begin to argue with Job which only compounds his pain. Things get so bad, Job lashes out. “I have heard many things like these. You are all miserable comforters. Is there no end to your empty words? What provokes you that you continue testifying?” (Job‬ ‭16‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭CSB‬)

Empty words. I have offered them far too much over the years. I had the best of intentions. I truly wanted to offer comfort and peace. But that’s not mine to offer. Only God can grant comfort to those who are hurting and suffering. Only God can bring peace to those who find themselves struggling so much. Only God can fill the emptiness those who are grieving often feel in their hearts. It’s much better to sit in silence than to speak. To say “I don’t know” rather than speculate on why something happened. The next time you feel tempted to speak into someone else’s pain, remember these words, “Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill himself with the hot east wind? Should he argue with useless talk or with words that serve no good purpose?” (Job‬ ‭15‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Readings for tomorrow: Job 18-21

Darkness

Readings for today: Job 10-13

The darkness in the valley of the shadow is deep. It descends like a thick shroud, clouding the view. It feels impenetrable, leading to depression and despair, hopelessness and helplessness. I have walked through this valley so many times over the years. I have had seasons in my own life where I struggled to find my way back to the light. I have walked with friends and loved ones as they traveled the road. Sometimes it was mental health issues. Sometimes it was terminal disease. Sometimes it was deep grief. Sometimes it was death itself. I remember praying at the bedside of a dear friend a few years ago. He was an alcoholic. He struggled with all kinds of health complications as a result. He was an extremely successful businessman who had sacrificed his family along the way. He lived with a tremendous amount of guilt and shame. As he lay there dying, I could feel the darkness closing in. For a few moments, I felt hopeless and helpless and all alone.

It seems clear to me from today’s reading that Job too has walked this road. He knows every twist and turn in the valley of the shadow of death. Listen to how he describes his experience, “It is a land of blackness like the deepest darkness, gloomy and chaotic, where even the light is like the darkness.” (Job‬ ‭10‬:‭22‬ ‭CSB‬) That sounds about right. It certainly squares with my experience. A land of blackness. A land of deepest darkness. A land that is gloomy and chaotic. A land where even the light cannot escape. It’s like a black hole emotionally, spiritually, and physically. But even here we can turn to God. Even here we can hold onto faith. Listen to Job again, “Be quiet, and I will speak. Let whatever comes happen to me. I will put myself at risk and take my life in my own hands. Even if he kills me, I will hope in him. I will still defend my ways before him. Yes, this will result in my deliverance, for no godless person can appear before him.” (Job‬ ‭13‬:‭13‬-‭16‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Everything has been stripped away from Job. His life has been taken down to the studs. And when Job finds himself sitting in the ruins of his life, who does he find there sitting with him? God. God is all Job has left and even if he loses his life, he will still trust in Him. Still hope in Him.

Thankfully, my friend gave his life to Christ right before he died. In that moment, I felt the darkness lift though death was near. Hope and peace flooded my friend’s soul as he realized he had been forgiven. It was one of the more powerful moments in my life. I will never forget it. It serves as a great reminder when I am walking through my own valley. I need fear no evil or darkness or chaos or despair for God is with me. He is there to comfort and guide me. He is there to prepare a celebration for me even in the face of all my enemies.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 14-17

Grief

Readings for today: Job 6-9

I had breakfast with my mom yesterday morning. We’ve been having breakfast once a month since right before my father died. We talk about a lot of things. We talk about her friends. We talk about her activities. We talk about our extended family. Most of all, we talk about grief. We talk about the challenges of learning to live alone. Things like starting a fire in the fireplace on a cold evening. Taking the dog on a walk. Fixing little stuff around the house. Things my father always did. We talk about the challenges of cleaning out the house. Letting go of things that remind her of dad. Going through boxes and processing all the memories. Giving away clothes and tools and other things that she no longer has a use for. It’s not easy. There is a weight to it all.

I love how Job talks about his grief. “If only my grief could be weighed and my devastation placed with it on the scales. ” (Job‬ ‭6‬:‭2‬ ‭CSB) It’s one of the most powerful descriptions I ever seen. It fits what I know about grief. It’s an emotion I am well-acquainted with because of the work I do. I am a pastor. As such, I am often invited to share the grief of those I serve. It may be grief over the passing of a loved one. Grief over the death of a dream. Grief over the loss of a friendship. Grief over the end of a season. Sometimes the grief feels bittersweet like when someone we love dies after living a long and full life. Sometimes the grief feels overwhelming and hard as in the case of a tragedy. I have sat at so many bedsides over the years, gone to many homes, and spent countless hours listening as people processed what they were feeling. All of it a sacred privilege even though the grief is often heavy. Job’s experienced unimaginable grief. The suddenness of it came upon him like a storm. The enormity of it hit him like a ton of bricks. I think that’s why so many appreciate this book. It is raw. It is real. And it resonates deeply with those who have walked a similar road.

Why? It’s a question I hear often in the midst of grief. Why did this happen? Why did this happen now? Why did this happen to this particular person? Why did this happen in this particular way? I hear echoes of these questions throughout the Book of Job as he tries to process his pain. Though Job never does get an answer, he keeps coming back to faith. He keeps drawing on the well that has sustained his life. It’s a powerful reminder that true faith invites the deepest of questions. True faith is not afraid to express doubt or fear. True faith understands that it is our questions, doubts, and fears that ultimately lead us back to God. Listen again to our brother Job, “God is wise and all-powerful. Who has opposed him and come out unharmed? He removes mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in his anger. He shakes the earth from its place so that its pillars tremble. He commands the sun not to shine and seals off the stars. He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. He makes the stars: the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the constellations  of the southern sky. He does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number.” (Job‬ ‭9‬:‭4‬-‭10‬ ‭CSB)‬‬

Readings for tomorrow: Job 10-13