“‘I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You….’” (Job 42:5)
After Job and his friends had their famous debate over whether or not Job’s trials were punishment for sin, something happened that they probably hadn’t expected. God Himself spoke to Job out of a whirlwind, telling of things that revealed His awesome power.From the fearsome Leviathan to the humble mountain goats, from the raging sea to the stunning constellations, He showed Himself as the Creator of all things, the God Who knows all and is in control of everything.
When He finished speaking, Job was is in awe of his Maker. He had seen a glimpse of His might, and he realized anew what an incredible God he worshipped. He instantly repented of having doubted God, knowing with certainty that He was still in control of this situation and had a purpose for it. Instead of just hearing about God, he had seen Him personally, and now he knew firsthand what He could do.
We Christians like to think we know a lot about God. We have the Bible, after all—God’s very own Word! We can read about Him and learn all kinds of things about Him through cool stories like Job’s. If we read the Bible every day, by the end of the year we’ll know everything there is to know about God.
Right?
Actually, no. As Job learned, there is a big difference between knowing about God and actually knowing God. When his trials started, Job knew that God was in control of it all. But what he might not have understood at first was that God also has a purpose for everything that happens. But when God finished speaking to him, the first thing Job said was, “‘I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.’” (Job 42:2) When God spoke to him, he was able to see God at work, and that led him to a new understanding of his Maker.
So then, just reading the Bible and knowing a bunch of stuff about God isn’t the equivalent of having a real, thriving relationship with Him. For that to happen, we need to be avidly aware of how God is working around us, in us, and through us. No matter what’s going on in your life, look for God. He’s right there with you, waiting to show a new part of Himself to you, eager to deepen His relationship with you. Every day, He’s doing something incredible in your life—if you look for Him, you’ll find Him working. And there’s nothing so incredible as seeing what He does.
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