Job describes the all seeing and all powerful nature of God. Job declares that all things on earth, and under the earth, are visible before the eyes of God. He also describes God's power and greatness as revealed in nature. Yet he reminds us that, for all we can see and know and understand, it is but a small part of who God is. "Behold, these are the fringes of His ways; and how faint a word we hear of Him!" (Job 26:14) Job reminds us that, no matter how much we think we know God, there is still much more to be known. Much of the nature and operations of God remain a mystery.
The Apostle Paul put it this way, "For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known." (1 Corinthians 13:9-10, 12) The truth is that there is a lot about God that we do not know, and will not know until we stand before Him face to face. At best, our knowledge of God is in part. This thought alone should humble us and remind us that we do not know it all. As we seek to understand God, our lives, and the world around us, we need to leave room in our understanding for the unknown. Not everything can be known to the nth degree. We must always leave room for the mysteries of God.
For as much as Job asked God "why" he had to suffer what he suffered, God never answered him. We are never told why God allowed Satan to afflict Job and to suffer him with the loss of his possessions, his family, and his health. I've heard many good guesses as to the "why" of Job's suffering, but in truth, it still remains a mystery. Unfortunately, Job's friends had no category in their theology for the unexplained of God. The couldn't just admit that they didn't know why Job was suffering. The had to find a reason, any reason, and the only reason they could come up with was that Job must have sinned against God. We like "neat" theology. We like everything to have a reason and an explanation. And while there is always a reason and an explanation, God does not always elect to share that information with us. We must be willing to admit that somethings we just don't know. We must not let our desire to have a reason to force us to come up with one, even if God is not sharing His reason with us. We must never presume a reason just to have a reason. Sometimes, we must simply yield to the mysteries of God.
David Robison
- If you lose something it isnt necessarily bad. From personal experience- the new you is always a wiser person. but the transition is really trying.
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