What would you ask God if you could? I hear people say this from time to time: “When I get to heaven, I’m going to ask God about that.” Usually, they speak about something that bothers them or they don’t understand. The idea is: I need God to explain this to me.
Job said something similar. He wants God to answer him about the reason for his suffering. Why won’t God listen to his complaint and answer him? Then as Elihu’s words faded, the voice of God spoke. The same voice that makes the cedars of Lebanon skip like a calf answered Job. It was not exactly what Job expected.
The sovereignty of God means, in part, that he does not owe us anything, including an explanation. As God began to answer Job, he turned the tables on him. Job thought he would give God a piece of his mind. Instead, God asked Job questions, hard questions.
What does this part of Job’s story teach us? First, God is bigger than we knew. In his mighty act of creation, he revealed his sovereignty. We may get indignant with God, but it is not a battle we win. We do not want to go fifteen rounds in a boxing match with the Almighty. Second, God will reveal himself and his truth to us if we are willing to learn from him. God’s victory over us is our victory. In heaven, we will know ourselves, our loved ones, and our God better than we could have imagined.
What is God asking us today? How will we answer? God is not accountable to us, but we are accountable to him. If there is something you want to know, ask God. Listen closely to him. If he asks something of you, be sure to answer him.
