Where Were You?

Who is this that questions my wisdom
 with such ignorant words?
 Brace yourself like a man,
    because I have some questions for you,
    and you must answer them.

 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
    Tell me, if you know so much.
 Who determined its dimensions
    and stretched out the surveying line?
 What supports its foundations,
    and who laid its cornerstone

-Job 38:2-6 (NLT)

In today's reading, is God chastening Job for questioning Him? I don't think so. Instead, I believe God is giving Job a stark reminder. It's a reminder you and I must heed as well.

When things don't go as we expect in our lives, or when we want to go one way, and God wants us to go another, we shake our fist at God and tell Him that we know better than He how to run our lives. We feel we know best. We feel that we know, better than God, what we need. When, in reality, we don't know anything. 

In chapters 38-42 of Job, we see God asking Job some pretty serious questions. I want us to focus on just a couple in verses 4-5. "'Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? What supports its foundations and who laid its cornerstone?" God is asking Job who designed, measure and built the earth. Certainly not Job. Certainly not you or I. Since God laid the foundation for the everything, and since He laid out the intricate little systems that work together for Him, can't we trust Him with the small details of our lives? What part of your life are you rejecting the control of God in? Think About It.

How Do You React To Troubled Times?

Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?
-Job 4:3-6 (King James Version)

Many of us are familiar with the story of Job. Job was tested in his faith. He lost his possessions, children and wealth in the matter of mere minutes. Job is sitting in dispair when some friends arrive. The bulk of the rest of the book of Job is his friends trying to help him overcome his dispair. I like what we read in verses 3-6 of chapter 4.

His friend is challenging Job to think about what has happened in the past. Look at verses 3-4, "Behold, thou has instructed many, and thou has strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou has strengthened the feeble knees." Essentially, his friend is saying, "Look, you have taught many, you words have strengthened many people. Your words have held up those who were on the verge of losing faith." In other words, you have helped many people, and your words have helped many people keep the faith when the going gets tough. Job was a man of God, Job was faithful to God. Read Job 1 and see the kind of man Job was. Was he just a Godly man when things were going easy? That is what satan wanted to find out, that is why Job was tested in such a huge way. Now, his friends are reminding him that he needs to practice what he preached.

Look at verses 5-6 "But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?" His friends are saying "Now that trouble has came upon you, you are troubled. Where is your confidence in God now?" When things fell apart in the life of Job, Job spent time in dispair and hoplesness. But, he never cursed God. He was angry with God, and who of us has never been angry with God? Job's friends challenge him. "Should not your blameless ways be your hope?"

Friends, how do you react when trouble comes your way. Trouble will come. It may be a job loss, a house foreclosure, death of a loved one, sickness of a loved one, a hurt from someone you love, or any multitude of other troubles that come upon us. How will you react. Job was blameless, that is what Scripture teaches. Yet, when trouble came his way,  he was discouraged and dismayed. How will (or how do) you react to troubled times? Think about it.

Are You A Willing Vessel?

 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
-Job 42:2 (KJV)
What is your view of God? Most of us are familiar with the story of Job. The man who lost everything. Yet, even when going through times of trial, and temptation to turn his back on God, Job remained faithful. 

In chapter 42, we see where Job's time of trial ended. In Job's conversation with God, we read this passage, "I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. (Job 42:2). Job had a deep love and trust in God. We read this about Job in Job 1:1, "There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. (NLT)" Notice the words-a man of complete integrity. Job lived his life for God. Then tragedy struck when his sons and daughters were killed, when his livestock was killed and when painful sores covered his body. Yet, in all this, he remained true and faithful to God. Then, at the end of the story, Job says, "I know that thou canst do every thing," Job knows that there is nothing that God cannot do. "and that no thought can be withholden from thee." Everything God plans to do, He does. Here is the question we must ask ourselves.

Are we a willing vessel to the things of God? Is our view of God able to trust Him, even in the times of trials. Job could have turned his back on God. Job could have blamed God for his losses. Yet he didn't. He knew that God can do anything. He knew that it is important that the will of God be done. Are you a willing vessel that the Lord can work through? Think About It.

Are You A Willing Vessel?

 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
-Job 42:2 (KJV)

What is your view of God? Most of us are familiar with the story of Job. The man who lost everything. Yet, even when going through times of trial, and temptation to turn his back on God, Job remained faithful. 


In chapter 42, we see where Job's time of trial ended. In Job's conversation with God, we read this passage, "I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. (Job 42:2). Job had a deep love and trust in God. We read this about Job in Job 1:1, "There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. (NLT)" Notice the words-a man of complete integrity. Job lived his life for God. Then tragedy struck when his sons and daughters were killed, when his livestock was killed and when painful sores covered his body. Yet, in all this, he remained true and faithful to God. Then, at the end of the story, Job says, "I know that thou canst do every thing," Job knows that there is nothing that God cannot do. "and that no thought can be withholden from thee." Everything God plans to do, He does. Here is the question we must ask ourselves.


Are we a willing vessel to the things of God? Is our view of God able to trust Him, even in the times of trials. Job could have turned his back on God. Job could have blamed God for his losses. Yet he didn't. He knew that God can do anything. He knew that it is important that the will of God be done. Are you a willing vessel that the Lord can work through? Think About It.

About Job: His Faith

 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.
-Job 1:1 (NIV)


Many people struggle with the topic of trusting God. Since we can't physically see or touch God, people find it difficult to put their trust in Him. Think about it. You see the car that you trust will get you to work without breaking down. You see the high rise building that holds your office. You trust that the building is solid enough not to tumble down. You sit in a chair that you trust is strong enough to support you. The idea of trusting God takes you out of your comfort zone and into the arms of a God who loves His children.


Through studying the life of Job, one would beg to ask, "How did Job survive?" Through looking at the life of Job, we can see that we really can, indeed, trust God no matter what. We all agree that Job had a great faith in God. Faith, like that of Job, cannot be shaken because it is the result of being shaken. In the first few chapters of the book of Job, we discover the great test of Job's faith that he would have to endure. Before we get to the testing of Job's faith, let's pause and look at who Job is. Verse 1 says, " In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil." Job was a man of great faith in God. Through this passage, we see a model that we must imitate. We need to cultivate the same kind of faith in God that Job had. And that can only grow through leaning on God in our tests and trials of life. If God were writing a book about you, would He be able to say the same things about you that He said about Job? Could God say that you are blameless, upright? Could God say that you feared God and hated evil? Think About It.