Job 40:1 Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said: 2 "Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it."
3 Then Job answered the Lord and said: 4 "Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth. 5 Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further."
6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: 7 "Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me: 8 "Would you indeed annul My judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?
This is the framework of the 'sinner’s prayer.' (The prayer anyone and anyone MUST make in order to receive salvation.) The most fundamental change that takes place in the life of a true believer comes in the comparison of one’s life to the perfection of God. (My profane-ness to God’s holiness.) This must happen in order for anyone to come into the
The vile root being ‘gotten at’ by God is pride. That root of pride is a wicked and vile possession of the human heart, and is present in everyone – even Job.
God hates pride because it keeps men from God. Pride makes men make gods of themselves. You cannot worship God when you are worshiping yourself – which explains why God commands we worship Him – that we not worship ourselves.
Job, in the midst of his struggle and affliction, (which is great and terrible in its scope and affect,) has very naturally retreated to the place all humans retreat to: judging God. This is the place we all retire to, especially when things are not going well - especially when we judge ourselves as being worthy of having things go well.
“God should be doing better by me than He is.” “God should not have allowed that to happen to those people.” “God should not have allowed that war to begin.” “God should not have allowed that child to perish.”
All of those statements reflect our answers to the great questions of life…those concerns over fairness and equity and justice, especially for “pretty good people.” When we pose these kinds of questions we are really expressing grave doubts based on the concern we have our questions will never and can never be answered. But when confronted with the literal presence of the living God, all our questions melt away in the power of His holiness, and we fall on our face in repentance for any questions we may ever have expressed or thought. Rather than providing any answers – we find God is the Answer. He is, quite simply – Enough.
- Pastor Bill
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