“I Will Question You,
And You Shall Answer Me”

 

   The Older I get, the more I understand that things don’t always go my way. Furthermore, I understand that this is sometimes a good thing, for God always knows what is best for me. People often complain about things. They question God, and even blame Him for some of life’s problems. Job was a man met with many problems. One of the greatest of which was his choice of companions, who did more discouraging than anything else. In the midst of Job’s trouble, God appeared in a great whirlwind and said, “Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me” (Job 38:3). All of us would do well to compare our problems with Job’s, and then listen to some of the questions that God asked him to put him in his place.

 

   After Job questioned God, the first question God asked him was, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (Job 38:4). Can you imagine walking along, questioning to yourself about why this or that happened, and suddenly God appears and clarifies things. As we live here on earth, it can be too easy to forget our place. God, the creator and sustainer, is above us in every way, and He knows what is best.

 

   God continued, “Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?” (Job 38:17). Nothing grieves us more than to lose a loved one to death. Perhaps everyone questions why they must feel such woe, but who are we to interrogate God? He has seen the very “gates of death,” and He knows what is best.

 

   God concluded, “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it” (Job 40:2). So many things in this life happen without our comprehension. Perhaps one of the most difficult thing for us as “intelligent” beings is to accept that we do not possess all the answers. It is not wrong to wonder why troubles come, nor is it wrong to ask God to help us through them…in fact, we have been instructed to do so. But we should be aware that God is God and we are not. In times of doubt and questioning, we might do well to do as Job did and lay our hands over our mouths, and trust in the God of heaven (Job 40:4).

- - - - Darrell Powell