Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Job+009
CHAPTER 9 (ESV)
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Truly I know that it is so:
But how can a man be in the right before God?
3 If one wished to contend with him,
one could not answer him once in a thousand times.
4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength
—who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—
5 he who removes mountains, and they know it not,
when he overturns them in his anger,
6 who shakes the earth out of its place,
and its pillars tremble;
7 who commands the sun, and it does not rise;
who seals up the stars;
8 who alone stretched out the heavens
and trampled the waves of the sea;
9 who made the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the chambers of the south;
10 who does great things beyond searching out,
and marvelous things beyond number.
11 Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not;
he moves on, but I do not perceive him.
12 Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back?
Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
REFLECTION:
Job was praising God’s power on the surface, but his tone contained grievances. To Job, Bildad’s words were nothing new. Job already knew that the wicked would eventually be destroyed, but why would he be destroyed? Job felt that he should not suffer in this way and reported his suffering to God. However, he also knew it would be useless to argue with God. Job did not claim to be perfect, but he did claim to be good and faithful. Although Job expressed impatience with God, he did not resist or curse Him. God loves us. He permits us to complain to him like Job, just as children in the world complain to their fathers. But we must not have resentment for God because of this, and fall into Satan’s schemes and depart from God.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, thank You for listening to my complaints. In any circumstance, You hear my prayers, even my grievances and reproaches. Please help me to always believe that You are a loving God. Help me not to harbor resentment against You, which could lead me into Satan’s deceit and away from You.
HYMN:
God of All My Days – www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYkZE8AogDE
