DAY 191

IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Job 38, 39 & 40 and Acts 16:1-21

Then the Lord answered Job out of a whirlwind, “Who is this that darkens my counsel by words without knowledge?” Whenever I read these verses of God speaking I get a chill. Can you imagine God saying to you, “Get up and get dressed, I will question you!” I cannot imagine that I would have the ability to stand.

Then God speaks. I encourage you to read and reread some of the words. “Where were you when the earth’s foundations were laid?” Or “Who gave the heart it wisdom,” or “who made the eagle proud?” This list goes on. I love the idea of taking Leviathan home as a pet.

After this powerful opening statement by God, God says to Job, “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer.” Job has been asking for his “day in court” and he is about to have it. This moment falls under the general heading of “be careful what you ask for, you might actually get it.” Job, in awe of God, says he has nothing to say!

We have one more day of the Book of Job, enjoy these last few chapters, they are magnificent. One of my favorite singer/songwriters is Michael Card. His music is often in the ballad genre. Here is a link to his ballad about Job. It is a little under 10 minutes, but now that you have read almost all of Job I think you will enjoy it even more. (If you like Michael Card there is a lot of his stuff on YouTube.) Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7XVS1VIzHc

Job is in awe. Awe is a healthy kind of fear. Often times the word translated as “fear” in the Bible can easily be translated “awe.” This moment that Job has washes away, like a tsunami, the 30 some odd chapters that have gone before. I imagine that Job cannot remember a single piece of logic that he has been espousing. When you are in the presence of God, all else pales by comparison.

Tomorrow I will comment about Paul’s escapades in chapter 16 of Acts. For today I just want to encourage you to dwell in the presence of God as His words linger in your mind. Sometimes I go into the Cathedral and just sit. There I am, surrounded by the big and grand place, and I just sit in the silence and try and imagine being in God’s presence. Where do you go to sit and be in God’s presence? Do you have a place? Maybe it is in your car, I have friends who do that. Maybe it is in your bed, I have other friends that do that. Maybe it is out in nature. I don’t propose that these experiences replace your time with God in a Sunday Service; being with others in worship is critical.

Yet there is also a need for you to have time with God, alone…alone and naked and honest. That is where Job is in these chapters. All has been stripped away from Job, all that is left is a malnourished man with a skin disease that has lost all but his life…he has poured out his heart to God…so there he sits, naked and alone and honest. It is a good place to be, let me encourage you to find such a place.