What comes from slowing down is the time and space in my head to focus, hear, learn. To hear what He has to say. Is there anything better than hearing His voice?
And through reading Genesis and Job, it comes. Something I know in my heart yet forget just about every time I blink: The enemy's goal is always, always, always to get us to doubt God's word and/or question His character.
That snake got Eve to doubt what God said about the tree. Then Sarai doubted God's promise that she would have a child. And then there's Job. The enemy was just plain overt about wanting to get Job to curse God! Job didn't officially give in to that one, but he came pretty close with 34 chapters of questioning God's character.
After about two chapters of Job's questions, I thought, "I don't want to read this anymore, it's the same thing over and over..." and, poof, an 'aha'.
When we're twisted up in lies, we can go on for a long time complaining and questioning God. And the longer we spend twisted up, the less we hear the straight Truth.
My first six months of 2011 were spent army-crawling through physical and emotional deterioration. I guarantee you I had written or thought far more than 34 chapters of questions and assumptions about what God was, or wasn't, doing. I was incredibly twisted up. Once my health started to balance, I straightened out just long enough to get twisted up about something else.
When the New Year came, I knew I wanted to make a new year. That I had some choices to make. Some thoughts to change. It just wasn't clear yet. Until I read Genesis and Job.
He is always, always, always Truth.
This life on earth is full of questions. Questions we're not likely going to get answered. Questions that twist and suffocate faith. We have to remember that our enemy is always out to get us to doubt and question. But God is our answer, every time.
Knowing God is better than knowing answers to earthly questions.
In Job 38, God starts asking Job a few questions of His own. More than a few questions, but He starts with these:
1 Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:
2 “Who is this that obscures my plans
with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
He straightens Job out by asking one question. The question is for us, too.
Sweet one, what lies are you believing about God? What are you twisted up about? What are you questioning? Read Job 38 and beyond, and see if you don't get a new perspective, new thoughts about what's true, Who's true.
See if you don't end up learning to say, like Job did a few chapters later:
“I know that you can do all things;
no purpose of yours can be thwarted...
My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you."
but now my eyes have seen you."
He is Powerful.
He is Sovereign.
He is Sovereign.
He is Everything!
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