Last week I was reading in the book of Job and was encouraged by the words of Scripture found there. During the midst of his trial, Job had no idea what was going to happen - all he could see was the here and now of his life. Now we know that the outcome was good for Job as God blessed his latter days more than his beginnings (42:12). However, it is Job's eyes being opened to the Sovereignty of God at the end of the trial and his response to that realization that we often miss in this wonderful book. Look at it with me.

Job's ordeal is coming to an end. After a lengthy discourse between Job and his friends, God breaks His silence and sets the record straight (chap 38-41). Here in these chapters we read of and see the Sovereignty of God - His omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. What wonderful chapters to read. Then Job answered the Lord and said,

I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know...I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes. (42:2-6)

We are told that Job was blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil (1:1). And yet God allowed him to go through such a horrible ordeal. Why? We demand. Is God really that cruel? No, quite the opposite! God wanted so much more for Job. Don't you see it in Job's final words - I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You. Up to this point Job merely had knowledge of God and at best a surface relationship with God, but God wanted him to have so much more. God wanted to take Job deeper in his relationship with Him and this He did. How? Through the trial. As a result of the trial, Job's eyes were opened to the sovereignty of God and Job saw God in all His majesty, splendor, power and glory. How do I know this? Because of Job's response - therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes. Only when we see God for who He really is - and repent of our wrong thoughts and attitudes towards Him - only then will we begin to have a deeper and more intimate walk with Him.

Enter with me into the prayer closet...

O Holy Father, open our eyes to see You in all Your glory. Let us not kick and scream in the trials that You so graciously allow in our lives but let us willingly yield to Your sovereign plan - knowing that You have nothing but our good and our maturity as Your purpose. No matter how difficult things may seem let us not forget that Jesus Christ went through something much more difficult so that we may know You, see You, and walk with you in all Your glory.

May we, like Job, see God's hand in all that happens and respond with humble and broken hearts to His sovereignty over our lives.