Today’s first reading continues Job’s encounter and dialogue with God. Job is forthright and bold in his challenge to God. In today’s reading God in turn answers and challenges Job. God puts a series of questions to Job which ultimately silence Job:
“Then Job answered the Lord and said: ‘Look, I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. I have spoken once, I will not reply; twice, but I will do so no more.’” (Job 38:3-5).
While God has allowed Job to challenge and question him, he also calls Job to a greater faith and to recognize his glory and power as Lord of all creation. So, God asks Job,
“Have you ever commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place?
Have you entered into the sources of the sea?
Have you comprehended the breath of the earth?
Tell me, if you know it all.”
Job is humbled before the Lord as he recognizes God’s great power as Creator and Redeemer. Even with his doubts and questions Job knows he has a Redeemer or Vindicator:
“As for me, I know that my vindicator lives, and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust.” (Job 19:25).
The book of Job is a parable or story in which God teaches us how to encounter him or how to pray. God wants us to be honest and forthright when we talk to him. It is okay to question and challenge God as Job does throughout this book. God also wants us to listen to him and even though not all our questions are answered God wants us to put our faith and trust in hm. True prayer is inspired in the root sense that the holy Spirit teaches us how to pray and even what words to use:
“In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because it intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will.” (Romans 8:26-27).
Image: “God’s Creating Hand” by Lawrence OP is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.