“From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.” Psalm 33:13-15, NIV.
Sometimes, when we read the Scriptures, we come to a passage where God asks a question of a human. For example, in the book of Job we read about a man, who by every human standard is “practically perfect in every way.” (Not to be confused with Mary Poppins, of course!) After Job’s life takes a turn for the worst and he is all but killed in the process, Job cries out to God trying to justify his innocence; he reminds God of his good deeds and asks Him, why is this awful stuff happening to me? Job’s “good friends” keep piling onto his pain by telling him he must have done something wrong to make God angry. To add insult to injury, Job’s wife tells him to just give up and “Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9, NIV).
Can’t you imagine God, sitting in the heavenlies looking down on this drama playing out on earth? Perhaps it’s God’s form of Netflix. When we think of God revealing His characteristic of “long suffering” toward humankind, reading the book of Job is a wonderful example.
After listening to everyone’s pontificating about having great wisdom in the face of Job’s quandary, and hearing Job’s own defense and his desire to die, God asks, “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you will answer me.” (Job 38:2-3, emphasis mine). Notice that God says nothing until chapter 38 but when He speaks, I’m sure you could have heard a pin drop. God begins to ask Job a myriad of questions for which no human can answer, except to be quiet in a state of profound humility.
We are living through days of uncertainty and unrest. Virus and violence threaten our peace of mind. Do you wonder, where is God in this? God hasn’t moved; He is still watching the drama as it plays out; He is still sovereign over nature and human nature. God cares and is in control. If we are quiet and listen, we will “hear” God ask, “Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like his?” (40:9).
My friend, God sees; trust Him and watch with awe and wonder!