Read: Job 34-35
Verses chosen for reflection:
Job 35:5-7 (ESV)
"Look at the heavens, and see;
and behold the clouds, which are higher than you.
If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?
And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
If you are righteous, what do you give to him?
Or what does he receive from your hand?"
Reflect
Job 35:5-7 is part of Elihu's rebuke against Job. We are told earlier that Elihu was the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram. Apparently, Elihu was privy to the interactions between Job and his three friends. And he had his own opinions on the three friends, on Job and even about God.
Right after Elihu's speech, we are told that God answered Job's appeal in Chapters 29-31. God also rebuked the three friends but nothing was being said of Elihu's inputs. On that aspect, it seemed that God was not against what Elihu had said. Looking at the content of Elihu's comments, it seemed that he was used by God to speak forth or give a "preview" to what God was going to say. Yet at the end of the day, Elihu was just human. He is not perfect and God, the Perfect One, would have the final say.
Elihu's comment (Job 35:5-7) about the ways of man and our impact on God is insightful. If we sin, we do not accomplish anything against Him. If we are being righteous, we do not contribute anything to Him either. This does not mean that we should continue to be sinful or stop being righteous. We continue to be righteous because we want to please God. We stop being sinful because we know that God desires it to be so.
What Elihu meant was that God is apart from our actions here on earth. He is the only One in this entire universe who can claim to have such a divine status. God's ways and plans will not be affected just because we sin or we get it right with Him. Or for the matter, even if a million people sinned against God. The truth is that as human beings, we cannot harm God nor can we provide anything to Him. We can worship God. That pleases Him but it does not add anything to His nature or ways.
God's ways are always much higher. God's ways can also be veiled from our sight if He needs it to be. Just as God allowed Satan to afflict Job almost to the verge of death and He only answered Job at a much later stage. While Elihu was right about his assessment about the sovereignty and holiness of God; he missed out that God can also be intimate in His relationship with man. That is the divine mystery.
Relate
There might be times when we think that what we do can affect the sovereign plans of God. If we pray in a certain manner, we can invoke the sympathy or generosity of God to give us what we want. If we do good, we can be blessed the desires of our heart. Not because we really want to do good; but because we thought that by doing good, we can get something out of it.
I believe that God is much wiser and all knowing than our secret thoughts or desires. He certainly knows it if we are to treat Him like a grander form of Santa Claus. Or we have so much of self-righteousness and ego that we think God can bend to our will instead of the other way round.
We will be so wrong if we think it this way. As Elihu puts it, God is God and we are not. God will always have His way. Nothing that we do here on earth can change that one bit. Sometimes, I think God grant favours despite of our wilfulness because He has a higher purpose. Not necessarily because we are "right" or so righteous that we can alter the cause of God.
That being said. We know through the works and teachings of Christ that God also desires to have a relationship with man. So despite the sovereignty and mightiness of God; the amazing truth is that God desires to be with us! This is why the Psalmist asked in a tone of surprise: "what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" (Psalm 8:4)
Therefore, even though we can do absolutely nothing to have any impact on the plans of God. We are blessed to have that relationship with Him through Christ; all because God loves His creation. God loves, in spite of who we are. And not because of what we can or cannot do. And in that truth, we can rest secure in His will and ways. We can follow Him the best we know how through His revealed word. In that way, we acknowledge that God's ways are best and we cling on, we persevere, and we wait in righteousness. For the outcome will always be a victory where God is concerned.
Rest
Lord my God, grant us the wisdom to know that You are the Almighty. Nothing that we do here on earth can influence Your perfect will in any way. Hence, give us the strength and grace to follow Your ways, no matter how difficult it seems to be. This I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Jason
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