August 13, 2026 - I Cannot Perceive Him
- brooks16055
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
Job 9:2-11 NIV
[2] “Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God? [3] Though they wished to dispute with him, they could not answer him one time out of a thousand. [4] His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed? [5] He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger. [6] He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble. [7] He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars. [8] He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. [9] He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. [10] He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. [11] When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.
Job knows the nature of God and acknowledges it. This also puts Job in his place. How true it is that we cannot see Him or perceive Him. At least we cannot see all of who He is or perceive the depth of all the truths we know about Him. When we say his "wisdom is profound...power is vast" those are great words, but they don't even begin to describe His wisdom and power. Our human brains really can't comprehend all these things. His ability to move mountains, shake the earth, control the sun and stars, created all things, placed each star in the sky, performs wonders and miracles are all things we can believe to be true, but we can't really understand it. No wonder Job says that he can't come before God and claim innocence. When we try to comprehend God, our minds should be blown, and we should be brought to our knees.
Job 9:14-22 NIV
[14] “How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him? [15] Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy. [16] Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing. [17] He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason. [18] He would not let me catch my breath but would overwhelm me with misery. [19] If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him? [20] Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty. [21] “Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life. [22] It is all the same; that is why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
But in our desire to understand Him with our limited human brain that is influenced by our own feelings, experiences and opinions, we can also create ideas about God that are not true. Job's friends have him thinking about what he might have done wrong. Not unreasonable for a human. We should evaluate ourselves. But, instead of trying to prove to God that we don't deserve what is happening to us because we think everything that happens to us is about us, we need trust God's understanding and purpose in the suffering. When we are focused on our own suffering and pain, we assume that what God is doing is about us when it may have much less to do with us and more to do with something that we can't see, perceive or understand.
Job 9:27-29 NIV
[27] If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,’ [28] I still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent. [29] Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain?
He assumes that God has found him guilty. He must think it is for something he is not aware of because he knows that God is just and would not punish him for nothing. However, his suffering has nothing to do with sin. It has to do with faith. Because he is trusting in God through his suffering God is showing Satan and all the heavenly hosts his faithfulness and using it for a greater kingdom/upper story purpose. He is also using it for us and all the ages to come to teach us to persevere in suffering and trust in God.
Job 9:32 NIV
[32] “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court.
"He is not a mere mortal like me" that I might question Him. Whatever we are going through that we cannot understand, should cause us to stop making it about us and trust that God can and will work it out even though our human hurting bodies and overwhelmed minds cannot even begin to perceive God.
Comments