When You're Already Wondering and He's Asking

 

Friday, June 5, 2020

I had this conversation once with God.  Or I should say, I bumped into God one morning as I was wallowing in my self pity over some pretty disturbing turns in my life…and God disturbed me a little more…no, a lot more! 

God disturbed me with some questions that were really irritating.  Here’s how the conversation went:

              God:  Russell, you’ve been through a lot of educational stuff, haven’t you?

Russell:  You know it, Lord…and it’s getting a little old.

              God:  Yes, Russell…that’s why I’m not going to bore you with a lecture.  I just have a few questions

Russell:  OK, I’m all ears; maybe I can help.

              God:  You remember when the sun went down last night?  And, then it came up again this morning?

Russell:  Uh, yeah

              God:  Good.  What was it you said that made the sun do that?  And by the way, was it you that told the dawn to look so pretty yesterday…you know, spread out and tell the shadows to get lost, open up all those brilliant colors, and send wicked people who do things in the darkness back to their hiding holes?

Russell:  Uh, Lord…where you going with this?

              God:  Well, Russell, I’m just wondering if you could direct me to where a couple of things are…like where the water comes from that fills all those seas on the earth, and where death actually lives, and why it causes so much gloom to humanity.  And where does the light come from?  And, when it gets here, I wonder, where  does the darkness go?  I’m thinking, because you know all there is to know, you must have been born before that was all set into motion.  I’m just wondering if you could enlighten me…I mean, with all your street smarts and wisdom and all…hmmm?

Russell:  ZIP  (the sound of my mouth’s zipper quickly closing)

Generally, I read the Scritpure first, then make some comments for us to ponder.  Today, I bared my soul about my conversation with God that made me realize what an arrogant know-it-all I can be.  It really did happen you know; it happened to me when I read how that same conversation went between Job and God:

Job 38:12-21

“Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east?  Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night’s wickedness?  As the light approaches, the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal; it is robed in brilliant colors.  The light disturbs the wicked and stops the arm that is raised in violence.  “Have you explored the springs from which the seas come?  Have you explored their depths?  Do you know where the gates of death are located?  Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?  Do you realize the extent of the earth?  Tell me about it if you know!  “Where does light come from, and where does darkness go?  Can you take each to its home?  Do you know how to get there?  But of course you know all this!  For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!

As with all the other dark themed ways common to humanity, the arrogance of putting ourselves on God’s level (at least in our minds) is a possibility that raises two cautions:

#1.  It is possible for us to try…

#2.  It is not a very wise thing to try…because it hurts a lot when you finally have to face the truth that He is God, and we are not.

Let’s Pray Together:

Father, we invite you to have that talk with us before we go too far in our arrogance.  Lord, You know how prone we are to thinking too highly of our own ideas and strength.  Help us to remember before we forget…again.

For You Today

There’s a pretty surefire way to avoid the trap of self-importance, and that is to give it away…to He who is really important.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road today.  Have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO

Title Image:  Space.com  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©

For other posts on Job 38 see An Uncomfortable Answer from the Whirlwind and God Answers Job