SCRIPTURE: Job 40
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Then the Lord said to Job, “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?” Then Job replied to the Lord, “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand. I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say.” [Job 40:1-5]
I spent some time reading comments about a Christian video on YouTube, and was struck by how angry and negative many of the comments were – mostly people who think of God as a monster and the church as a cult.
The hard thing is that many of the comments that these critics made, though extreme and one-sided, did have a measure of validity to them.
Many of the critiques of God, religion, Christianity and the church, though painful, do touch upon something real.
But then I read this line by God to Job, and I am humbled: You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?

“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. [Luke 5:5-9]
Peter was a master fisherman, he certainly knew more about fishing than this carpenter from Nazareth.
But what Peter did not realize was that he was dealing with something more than a carpenter from Nazareth.
And in this moment he experiences that “something more”… and he is awestruck, humbled, ashamed.

In all of our criticisms and complaints about God, I suspect that there is “something more” going on than we realize.
When we criticize God, we act like the judge – the informed, unbiased, objective arbiter of truth and justice – and put ourselves over God.
As if we are the master of these things, and God is just a carpenter from Nazareth, or whatever.
But one day, like Peter, we will stand before God in His “something more”, and like Peter and Job we will be humbled.
Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.
I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand. I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say.

Its not that the criticisms and complaints do not touch upon real issues, but our perspective is limited, we are biased and subjective in how we view things.
How dare I act like God’s critic, when I cannot even see myself and my own life – let alone the Universe – in a healthy way.
I am the first to admit that there are many hard questions that people level against God, the bible, the church and christians, and I struggle with many of them too.
But today’s reading shows me how presumptuous it is for me to be God’s judge.
And Jesus shows me not to underestimate what God is able to do, and what God is doing, for good in the world.

PRAYER:
Lord, despite my many questions and complaints, I realize how limited my perspective is, and I submit myself to You. I choose to believe that no matter how hard or complicated or confusing things get, You are above it all!