Ben Fourie

“What is the way to the abode of light” Job 38:19 (NIV)

Job is tired of struggling with his thoughts about the meaning of life. He has been through the episode of sitting among the ashes and scratching himself with a piece of broken pottery. He is dejected because his friends could see only God's side of the story while they have no sympathy with him. But above all, he is tired of wrestling with God whom he thought he knew well until the disasters started hitting him. As verse one tells us “he feared God and shunned evil.”

Job is at a point where he does not have any hope left, he is absolutely desperate “In his great power (God) becomes like clothing to me, he binds me like the neck of my garment … I cry out to you, o God, but you do not answer, I stand up but you merely look at me … My harp is tuned to mourning and my flute to the sound of wailing” (Job 30:18,20 and 31 (NIV)).

The only avenue open to him is to state his case before God and his friends and by doing so defends himself. He goes so far as to challenge God to “weigh me in honest scales” to show him to be blameless. As part of his argument he points out his virtues like looking after widows and orphans, never desiring another man’s wife or chasing after her, feeding and clothing the poor and looking after the needs of strangers. By doing this he wanted to show God and his friends how unjust it was that he was beseeched by all the disasters that befell him.

At this point God joins the debate and asks Job some very difficult questions, questions that humans are not really able to answer. What is the way to the abode of light, where is the place where snow is kept and who gave the horse its strength and helps the vulture to soar higher and higher?

Like Job we also like to put our case before God, we try to justify ourselves before Him. We ask “why me” when life casts a shadow over us. But like Job, how will we as insignificant little people find the way to the home of light. Glory to God, for He is our strength, He is the true Light, he will understand when I see no way forward, when I am tired by life’s struggle.

Prayer: Thank you Father that even when I am bruised in my soul, you are there for me even if I do not really understand why. Thank you that I do not have to try and justify all my actions, for you love me just as I am. Amen