Birds, Bugs, and Beasts

Job 38:3 Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. NIV

In the first couple of chapters of the book of Job, he loses almost everything: his children, possessions, and health. Not surprisingly, Job had some questions for God throughout the body of the book. Who wouldn’t?

At the end of Job, God didn’t explain it all by saying, “Look Job, you are a great guy. You got caught up in a spiritual battle between Satan and I. Sorry for how that unfolded in your life.” Instead, he asked Job a bunch of nature questions. God wanted to know if Job has ever thought about the creation of the earth, the springs of the sea, and the origins of light. He asked Job about several animals—lions, ostriches, eagles, and the like.

I chuckle when putting myself in Job’s shoes. I’m thinking, “God, why am I suffering so much? Literally everyone around me is not following you as closely as me, and you haven’t cursed them! I am ticked!” And God answers me and asks, “Steve, have you ever thought about mountain goats?” It would certainly catch me off guard. However, as God carries on about nature, he makes his point, and Job is humbled. God’s creation cries out: he is powerful and he is far more capable of running the world than we are!

It may help us to take our eyes off ourselves and our trials a bit and look around. Peacocks show off their plumage. Crickets play songs. Spiders make sticky nets. Lightning bugs punctuate the night sky. Examples abound of astounding animals and the genius of God.

Let the nature we see every day remind us that God’s thoughts are far above ours. He knows what he is doing. We can entrust ourselves to him!