Lamp, Light, Fire, Hammer 3: Sufficiency of the Word

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. NIV84

Imagine seeing Job sitting as an outcast on an ash heap. He is mourning the death of all ten of his children as well as the destruction of everything he owns. He is covered with sores from head to toe, and is scraping them with a shard of pottery in attempt to find some semblance of relief. What would you say to him? “Job, you seem depressed. You should watch this Ted Talk. It helped me when I got laid off.” “Job, I brought you some scented oils for your skin. They did wonders for my eczema.” “Job, you should read this book. The author lost a child and is an expert on grief.” As well-intentioned and even somewhat beneficial as all our suggestions may be, I think Job’s situation makes one thing painfully obvious: we wouldn’t have had the answers that Job needs. His suffering is a black chasm of despair. He needs to hear from God, not humans.

I have always appreciated the efforts of others to encourage me. It’s heartening to get a call or a card and to know that people care. But nothing compares to hearing from God. I’ve not yet heard his audible voice. A couple of times I’ve had dreams that I think were from him. However, countless times he has vividly spoken to me through his Word. When I think of the above verse, I think of the sufficiency of Scripture. It is not everything that I want to hear from God, but it is enough. The Word of God ministers to my broken heart. His words hug me. Often, it is all I have to hold on to.