Where Were You?

It’s hard for me to believe that I’m in my third decade at my job, and that I’m now one of oldest members of the department. I remember in my early days ribbing people that I wasn’t even in school when they first started at the company, but I don’t find those jokes quite so funny anymore. However, I have discovered a few perks to being the “old lady” of the department, namely, I was around when things were created. I know the ends and outs, as well as the how’s and why’s behind the things that we do. I’m also the one who can unearth emails from twenty years ago, because I had the foresight to save them.

While I like everyone to think that I have all the answers, I must admit, I don’t. I still have questions that stump me, and I thus far, I have not found “all knowing” to be one of my spiritual gifts. I also haven’t created one thing on my own; however, God has. He is the only one who can truly boast that he was there at the beginning.

In Genesis, we read that he spoke, and the world came into being. God knows this world inside and out, as well as every hair on our heads (Luke 12:7); yet we, the created, have the audacity to whine and complain to him about the way things are. I feel that God could say to us just as he said to Job, “Where were you?”:

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4-7)

We know the story of Job. He was the one who had one horrible tragedy after another; everything had been taken from him and Job wanted answers (Job 30:20). However, as you read through the book, you will see that God turned the tables on him. Instead of answering, God chose to ask Job his own set of questions. Did Job know where darkness resided and where was the snow and lightning kept (Job 38:19,22,24)? Such easy questions, says God: “Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!” (Job 38:21)

Job thought he was ready to go toe to toe with his Creator; however, as God’s questions piled up, Job probably wanted a mountain to fall on him so he could just disappear and pretend this conversation never happened. Yet, I can understand Job’s desire to plead his innocence before God. You see, his friends had accused him of sin: “Is it for your piety that he rebukes you and brings charges against you? Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless?” (Job 22:4-5)

It was a commonly held belief that suffering was God’s punishment for evil. You even see this idea pop up in the New Testament. For example, the disciples asked Jesus if the man was born blind because of his own sin or his parents (John 9:2). It was not surprising then for Job’s friends to believe that he was guilty of sin to have experienced so much suffering; however, we are told at the beginning of the story that Job was “blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.” (Job 1:1)

Friends, here is the proof that bad things do, indeed, happen to good people. God allowed Satan to attack Job to prove that a man can and will honor God even when everything is lost.

As you progress through the story, you will see that while Job had not sinned, he was also not perfect. He was skating close to the edge of self-righteousness, which prompted God to say: “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!” (Job 40:2)

Once again Job must have wished for that mountain to fall on him, and he could only meekly reply, “I am unworthy – how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer – twice, but I will say no more.” (Job 40:4-5)

Job decided his best course of action was to stop talking. God had shown him that he had neither the ability to judge the One who had created the universe, nor the right to ask why. God wanted Job to realize his own inadequacy and inability to meet him as an equal. God’s ways are above ours and he will do what he knows is best, regardless of what we think is fair.

But let me just stop here and say that it is so hard to keep yourself from thinking that you know more than God. We tell ourselves that if he would only listen to us, things would go so much better. But we need to hear again God’s words, “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?” (Job 38:2)

Friends, everything that we know could be held in a thimble compared to what God knows, and Job finally learned this truth:

“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” (Job 42:2-3)

And Job repented. He admitted that his words had been wrong and that he has spoken about things he did not understand. He realized that whatever God does is right, and we need to learn this too. We need to realize how much we don’t know and stop arguing with God as though we did.

The truth is setbacks, tragedies, and sorrows strike believers and non-believers alike, and some of us will face more rough sailing than others. However, as we see in Job, God expects us to be faithful. He expects us to trust him.

But do we?

Believe me when I say that Satan is no fool. He is watching us, and he accurately analyzes how and when people trust God. Sadly, he has discovered that so many of us are only fair-weather fans. People who willingly follow God when it’s convenient or when everything goes to their liking, but fold like a deck of cards at the first sign of trouble. People who walk away from God because they are not willing to let go of the things of this world.

So, what is the answer?

Admit that you don’t know everything but remember that you know the One who does. Scripture tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.” (Psalm 111:10) Fear means reverence and awe, and wisdom means to accept the guidance given to us by the all-knowing God.

In his commentary on the Psalms, George A. F. Knight wrote, “Biblical wisdom is a practical thing. It means understanding how to live, that is, finding out what God’s mishpat or “justice” means and putting it into practice…. It means, in brief, learning how to be an artisan of life by the gift of God’s Holy Spirit.”

Regardless how long you have been following Jesus, there is still so much to learn. God was there at the beginning. He has saved all the memos. He knows what each of us needs, and he gave us the Spirit so that we can give glory to him in all that we do.

Thus, when the next storm strikes, stand firm, and remember the words of Job: “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21)

For the glory of God! Lisa

Discussion Questions

There are times when we don’t understand why. Is it okay to question God?

At one point Job’s wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9) If someone were to say that to you, how would you respond?

What is something you have learned from a time of suffering?