The Almighty Always Answers

The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first. (Job 42:12)

There are many important lessons to be learned from the story of Job. God is sovereign. Satan is real. Life is fragile. I could fill an entire blog post with the myriad, magnificent lessons that can be drawn from Job, but one of the most comforting of these is to know that God actually answered Job’s questions.

Now, it’s true that God did not answer Job in the way he wanted to be answered. Job wanted an explanation for why all the evil things had happened in his life, and he did not get that answer from God. But Job did get an answer, which means that God cared enough about Job to respond to his questions. And Christian, God cares enough about you to respond to all of your questions too. But just remember that, as with Job, His response is often not what you were hoping for or expecting.

After losing his health, his wealth, and all ten of his children, and having received no comfort from his three friends, whom Job later described as “miserable counselors,” God spoke up and spoke into Job’s life:

The Lord answered Job out of the storm. He said: “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.” (Job 38:1-2)

There is no soft, cuddly comfort in those words, and there was little comfort discernible in the many pointed questions God directed at his hurting and faithful servant. But what this lesson is designed to teach us is that where there seems to be no comfort, there is still contact, and in contact we are to find comfort. The Creator and Sustainer of the universe stooped to speak into the life of His servant Job, and He stoops to speak into your life — not just daily, but moment by moment. In making contact with Job, God made it clear that Job mattered, and mattered intensely to God. You see, even as Job gave voice to his grief, anger, pain, and bewilderment, “Job did not sin in what he said” (Job 2:10).

When you find yourself in a storm marked by grief, anger, pain, or confusion, take it all to God. Don’t censor any of it! God knows your heart and He understands your cry. Job could have cursed God and died, as his insensitive wife harshly suggested. But Job’s reply to this faithless “counsel” was filled with faith: “You are talking like a foolish woman,” he said. “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:10). Job knew that God is sovereign and in control of all things, even during this terrible time when it looked like his life was completely out of control.

Remember, God is in the business of making contact with all of His children, and that includes you. The Almighty always answers, but not always in the way we want Him to. Now, you may never hear God’s voice speaking to you directly out of the storm winds, but you will hear His voice in the sacred Scriptures. When your answer to your “Why?” question does not come, remember, you have already received the “Who” behind it: Jesus Christ. Can there be any greater blessing in life than that?

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!