For many years, I have been the primary "tee-time maker" for my golf "groupies". It is interesting to watch the weather forecasts change and try to pick a fitting day. Monday, January 16 was not a fitting day even though the temperature was within the acceptable range as determined by my aging body's circulation velocity. The brutal "wind sweeping down the plain" was more like a power vacuum and blessed us with added/subtracted distance based on the direction of the hole and this blessing lasted for eighteen wonderful holes. I hope the cynicism is as obvious as I intend.
I say this because of my tendency to believe that the Oklahoma weather should always fit my plans and not the other way around. Joyce and I have embarked on a new Bible reading plan for 2012 using our smart phone application from Life Church and we have chosen the chronological Bible reading plan. This is planned to allow you to read the Bible in order based on the historical dating of the events. Surprisingly, the first few days covered the creation story in Genesis but then we switched to the book of Job which is noted as being the earliest recorded scriptures. Most of you are familiar with the story-line.
God and Satan are having a conversation and God brings up Job's name to Satan. Job is described as "blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil." Oh that God would say that about me and that I was able to live that type of life empowered by the Holy Spirit. Satan then accuses (The Great Accuser) God of building a hedge around Job and states that Job would crumble without God's hedge protecting him and his. God calls Satan's bluff and gives him permission to assail Job as long as he doesn't harm Job's physical body. Satan then heads to Joblahoma (I made that up!)
You know the story: oxen and donkeys and servants die first; sheep and some more servants are burned up; camels and more servants slain by the Chaldeans; and finally a great wind kills his sons and daughers and destroys their houses. Part of Job's response is found in Job 1:21 - The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD. Verse 22 says: Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God. When earthly woes befall us, would that our attitude could match Job's.
Satan isn't satisfied because Job is still honoring God so he makes a return to God's throne. Again, Job is described by God the same as he was the first time. Satan is then given permission to attack Job's flesh but not given permission to slay him. Next come the sore boils from head to toe. Job has a similair response to this calamity. We read in verses 9-10 of Chapter 2: Job 2:9-10 Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!" But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Wow! Doesn't that sound just like us when bad things happen to us "good" people?
The most impressive thing about Job's three golfing buddies, er, my mistake, three friends is that they showed up after hearing about Job's troubles and performed an amazing act of kindness. Job 2:12-13 says: When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky. Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great. This must have provided great comfort to Job, but then, as we often do at the wrong times, they opened their mouths. They offer their opinions to Job and Job continues to claim his belief in God although he does have a few pity parties along the way.
Towards the end of the book, Elihu shows up to put his two cents end and finally God shuts them all up during his conversation with Job in Chapters 38-42 and, lastly, God restores Job's fortunes and family. Please take time to read these chapters when you have a few minutes. I need to hear this from God quite often especially when I try to replace him on his throne with myself. What an awesome sovereign God we worship.
Now, back to my griping about the weather. I was struck by Elihu's discourse especially from Job 36:26 - Job 37:24 as he talks about the weather and who controls it for his good pleasure. That passage follows and please notice the details about the rain, lightning, thunder, snow, sunshine, darkness, etc. It is truly awe-inspiring and very convicting. When I gripe about the weather, I am claiming that I could do a better job of controlling it than the creator God of the universe. May I sincerely repent and stop my grumbling.
Job 36:26-37:24 Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him;The number of His years is unsearchable. "For He draws up the drops of water,They distill rain from the mist, Which the clouds pour down,They drip upon man abundantly. "Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,The thundering of His pavilion? "Behold, He spreads His lightning about Him,And He covers the depths of the sea. "For by these He judges peoples;He gives food in abundance. "He covers His hands with the lightning,And commands it to strike the mark. "Its noise declares His presence;The cattle also, concerning what is coming up. "At this also my heart trembles,And leaps from its place. Listen closely to the thunder of His voice,And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth. "Under the whole heaven He lets it loose,And His lightning to the ends of the earth. "After it, a voice roars;He thunders with His majestic voice,And He does not restrain the lightnings when His voice is heard. "God thunders with His voice wondrously,Doing great things which we cannot comprehend. "For to the snow He says, 'Fall on the earth,'And to the downpour and the rain, 'Be strong.' "He seals the hand of every man,That all men may know His work. "Then the beast goes into its lairAnd remains in its den. "Out of the south comes the storm,And out of the north the cold. "From the breath of God ice is made,And the expanse of the waters is frozen. "Also with moisture He loads the thick cloud;He disperses the cloud of His lightning. "It changes direction, turning around by His guidance,That it may do whatever He commands itOn the face of the inhabited earth. "Whether for correction, or for His world,Or for lovingkindness, He causes it to happen. "Listen to this, O Job,Stand and consider the wonders of God. "Do you know how God establishes them,And makes the lightning of His cloud to shine? "Do you know about the layers of the thick clouds,The wonders of one perfect in knowledge, You whose garments are hot,When the land is still because of the south wind? "Can you, with Him, spread out the skies,Strong as a molten mirror? "Teach us what we shall say to Him;We cannot arrange our case because of darkness. "Shall it be told Him that I would speak?Or should a man say that he would be swallowed up? "Now men do not see the light which is bright in the skies;But the wind has passed and cleared them. "Out of the north comes golden splendor;Around God is awesome majesty. "The Almighty — we cannot find Him;He is exalted in powerAnd He will not do violence to justice and abundant righteousness. "Therefore men fear Him;He does not regard any who are wise of heart."
When you hear of tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, droughts, floods, typhoons, and other calamitous weather happenings, remember God is in control and he is greatly to be praised. I would like to wrap this up with an excellent excerpt from an article on one of the many websites that discuss Reformed Theology.
The Church at large has tried to put man at the center of the Universe for so long in its sermons, books and articles that today, when we do hear a preacher talk about the Sovereignty or Providence of God, it actually seems very strange to our ears. We think "what new doctrine is this?" But the truth is that this is not a new concept at all, but in fact the classic, orthodox, Christian view of the God of the Bible.
Regarding the Sovereignty of God, Dr. R. C. Sproul makes the point that if there were one maverick molecule out there somewhere apart from the plan of God, we would have no reason to hope in God. That one maverick molecule could be the one detail that defeats God's eternal purpose. If God is not in Sovereign control, perhaps that one "maverick molecule" could have got into the lungs of Jesus as a young baby and God's eternal plan of salvation could well have been derailed with Jesus dieing in infancy. As the old saying goes, "For lack of the nail, the shoe was lost. For lack of the shoe, the horse was lost. For lack of the horse, the rider was lost. For lack of the rider, the battle was lost. For lack of the battle, the war was lost."
In contrast to this picture, our God is All-Powerful (Omnipotent), and all of history is merely the outworking of His eternal plan. God not merely created the world, but His eternal power sustains it and continues its existence by the sheer exertion of His will - were God to "blink," all would come to an end.
May your day be blessed even if the weather doesn't suit you!
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