I’ve had a good start on the Bible reading plan for the year. This morning I read Job 7-8. Job was a godly man long before the Bible or the Church. In his godliness, he attracted Satan’s attention. Satan asked God for permission to test Job, and from that experience comes the finest ethical, philosophical, experiential debate in history. Job’s “friends” tried to tell him that he was a sinner and Job defended himself. The nature of God and His justice and Job’s depression are prominent themes. Ultimately, God put Job in his place and restored his fortunes.
This morning, God nudged me when I read Job 7:19-21. Three times in those 3 verses, Job asked “why?” That made me count all the “why?s” in Job. Thirty-one times in the book of Job either Job or one of his “comforting friends” asked “why?”
We humans are the ones who ask “why?” The clouds, trees and the mountains don’t ask “why?” The dogs, fish, cattle and monkeys don’t ask “why?” Ants are organized, bees colonies are fascinating and lots of animals can be trained, but they don’t debate ethics, establish motives, or wonder “why?”
We do. We are the ones God created with the capacity to wonder “why?” We are the ones with moral dilemmas. We are the philosophers and theologians. “Why God?”
We need there to be a reason. We search for the thing operating behind the scenes to explain all this. Why did she die? Why did I get fired? Why is my kid bullied at school? Why can’t I just win the lottery?
We ponder the meaning of life. We like justice. We root for the little guy. We look for the Man behind the curtain. Is it Fate? Is it Karma? Can I tilt the odds in my favor somehow? Why? Why not?
I’m glad God made us all philosophers, puzzling over the why of it all. In our wondering, He reveals Himself to us as the Great Reason Why. He gave us the ability to reason, ponder and choose. Choose Jesus and someday all your “why?s” will find their answer in Him.
Bro Jonathan
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