Out of the storm

'Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm. He said...' - Job 38:1

So starts God's response to Job in this timeless book of 'Whys', grappling with suffering.

For the next few chapters He reminds Job of Who He is, what He has done and is capable of doing, through looking at His creative work in the universe.

I've been chewing on Job for the last few weeks with the youth of my church, and on Sunday we will present some of our thoughts to the main congregation in a special service.

Remember Job's life?
He had everything, then he had nothing.

Raiding parties, fire from heaven and a sudden storm from the desert took his livestock, servants and most preciously, his children. Later he was covered with sores. His wife mocked him and his friends, who had started out so sympathetically, then blamed him for his trouble.

After pleading with God to answer him, to help him understand WHY this was happening, God answered - out of the storm.

A few things struck me about that one verse:

God chose a storm as the context to speak to Job in. He could have spoken to Job in a quiet whisper as with Elijah, (1 Kings 19) but he chose a storm.

Think of the parallels here. Job's been in turmoil - a 'storm', with his suffering. Why doesn't God speak as a balm instead?

Worst of all, Job's children were killed IN A STORM. Yet this is how God chooses to meet Job to answer him.
Nothing in the verse or chapter suggests that God calmed the storm first, then spoke, or that like Jesus in the boat on Lake Galilee, He spoke and the storm was silent. (Mark 4)

No. The storm raged and God spoke out of it. And He didn't explain why Job was suffering but reminded him in detail that He was God, all powerful and IN CONTROL.

As a Christian, do I expect God to still storms before speaking into my life? Or do I trust that He can speak out of a storm without necessarily stopping it?

Do I listen and learn from Him when He uses the things that hurt me most to show something of His character?

As storms are raging and God is speaking, am I focussing on the wind and waves or looking to Him? (Think of Peter stepping out of the boat to walk to Jesus on water - Matthew 14.)

How do I feel about God speaking out of a storm but not explaining the storm - pointing instead to Himself?


These are timely thoughts for me. May they be a help in some way for you too.