Making Disciples, the Sovereignty of God

 

“Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me! If you say, ‘How we will pursue him!’ and, ‘The root of the matter is found in him,’ be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment.” (Job 19:23-29 ESV).

 

Job endured the worst of life’s trials. He felt the grief of the death of his children, he suffered the pain of failing health, he was rejected by his friends, and his wife urged him to simply “curse God and die.” Yet, he modeled for his friends and family how to stand before God in these trials. Job did not curse God as his wife had suggested (Job 2:9). And he did not listen to the bad advice that his friends gave him. He knew the plan of God for him was good.

 

One thing was clear to Job: “I know that my redeemer lives.” Job understood that he had a big God who was in control and that one day, when all the suffering was over, he would understand more fully. Job did not pretend he had not suffered. He had lost nearly everything. He had also lost all respect in the community. Everyone looked down on him, assuming he had sinned. His life was miserable, but that did not change the central truth that God was still in control.

 

The only thing Job repented of was that he eventually demanded an explanation from God. He learned it was enough to trust that God was in control and had a plan for his life. (cf. Job 40-42.)

 

There is much we do not fully understand in this life, and, like Job, we can envision that in heaven one day our understanding will be clear. However, if we are to teach others to experience the fullness of God’s presence and power, we must teach them in word and deed that God knows what He is doing and the end of it is always good. Even when things are a mess, we must believe that the God of the universe is still in control.