A Little Perspective


Scripture

 
Job 38:4        “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
        Tell me, if you have understanding.
5     Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
        Or who stretched the line upon it?
6     On what were its bases sunk,
        or who laid its cornerstone
7     when the morning stars sang together
        and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?

Observation

After all the advice of his friends and Job’s comments, God responds. There is no attempt on God’s part to belittle Job or his intelligence, but God tries to give Job some perspective. God is inviting Job into a larger understanding or perspective of the world in which Job finds himself. It is also a perspective on the awesome power of God.

Application

Sometimes those days of frustration arrive like wave upon wave on the shore of the sea. Somehow you just wish they would stop for a short period of time, and yet they don’t, or maybe they can’t. It’s easy to get so focused on what lies right before you, that sense that you are drowning, that you fail to have perspective. The waves crashing on the ocean shore are part of a larger picture which, when our eyes are lifted up are able to see the great expanse of the waters, the division of earth and sky and the beauty of the sun by day and moon by night. It all has to do with perspective and those things which create pain and frustration may serve a purpose beyond our particular view when we step back and gain a larger vision.

There are events in life that come at us like a deluge. When death comes marching in and grief becomes more than we can bear we are overwhelmed. When we are disappointed that all of our hard work and plans didn’t turn out the way we thought they should have, it’s easy to become discouraged. When those we love struggle in their personal lives with issues far beyond our control we feel that we might just lose our mind.

This was the experience of Job and he was struggling with what it all meant. Was it to have had meaning or a special interpretation, or was it to drive him into a deeper relationship with God? God stepped in to bring perspective to the situation. God is far larger and greater than what we face today. We may not be able to make sense of what we are dealing with but God has promised to never leave us or to forsake us. We are called to seek first the kingdom of God.

We were never promised that life would be easy if we followed Jesus. Jesus did not preach a health and wealth gospel but challenged us to take up our cross and follow him. The view from the cross was not pretty but it led to eternal possibilities and this was God’s perspective.

Prayer


Lord, thank you for the reminder and encouragement. Please, help me to seek you and your kingdom this day. Amen.

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