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Mysterious and Wonderful are Your Ways

who is this that questions my wisdom? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me, where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?... (Job 38-40) 

Job had been afflicted, the scriptures say not because he was an unrighteous man nor because he lacked faith, but because God had tried him. Job had said to his wife, "shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" (Job 2:10) God asked Job who was he to question him. Finally, Job's response is "behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth," and God says again "dress for action like a man..." (Job 40:3-14) Job came to this realization saying I had heard you with my ears now my eyes see you. (Job 42:5) "Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know." (Job 42:3) 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect (mature) and whole, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)

Dress for action like a man. The trial brings maturity, dresses us for action to be men of God. The child who does not become a warrior, will not fight but he will be passive and double-minded not receiving wisdom to mature. A child tossed to and fro is deceitful scheming of the devil. But the young person has become a warrior, overcoming the evil one, he has been tried and endured unto maturity. "Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, my very own sake I will do it, for how can [my name] be defiled and my glory to another will not be given." (Isaiah 48:10) The prophet Malachi spoke of the coming of the Lord as a refiner's fire, he would refine us as a silversmith purifies gold by burning off the dross, the impurities. (Malachi 3:2-4) Yes, Jesus has adopted us, redeemed, forgiven our trespasses but we are tried in the furnace of affliction, sharing in his suffering so as to share in His glory. 

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the testing of the genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:6-7) 

I had COVID-19 this year, it took about a month to get rid of the upper respiratory infection, at one point I got terrible vertigo, so a friend took me to the ER, but for the most part, I pulled through ok. Also, I have been dealing with hypertension this year, so this year has been full of trials. James and Peter write trials are a testing of the genuineness of our faith or proving of our faith. I think to be near and look death in the eyes is the ultimate test of faith. Certainly, for me, the trials strengthen our faith so that we grow stronger in the Lord, so to strengthen others.

I heard today from a friend her daughter's young pastor is fighting for his life in the hospital due to COVID-19. Is it a matter of his faith being weak? not necessarily as the scriptures tell us. It could be a testing of his faith. Or possibly the testing of the genuineness of the faith of his family and church. Or possibly a call to warfare, to fight, to grow stronger in the Lord, in prayer and supplication that brings the family and body closer together in the unity of faith and spirit and the bond of love that builds up the Church into maturity. Possibly to awaken us. To the fragility of life, as the scriptures say, like a flower of the field, here today, gone tomorrow. 

Would God allow the death of a godly person for a greater purpose, like the young Steven who was stoned? It is painful, but think about it, he goes to heaven and the impact of his life ripples throughout eternity. God is not cruel, he does not do evil nor tempt us with evil, God is love. For God to take a loved one, these are things that are painful and difficult for us to comprehend, as we do not see the big picture. Is this not why God lovingly allowed evil done to His Son, whose death had a much greater purpose? God so loved the world that he gave... the ripple effect the world still sees today.

Rejoice always in the Lord again I say rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)

Paul, James, Peter write of maturity in the Lord, where they could rejoice during the trial. It is maturity, as Paul experienced many trials that taught him this. A trial by fire that is painful but purifies and such a heart is precious to God, more precious than silver or gold. Maybe, this was the only fault of Job, he should have rejoiced but instead, but instead he tore his clothes and sat in sackcloth and ashes and listened to the counsel of his friends who said he must have done evil for evil to come upon him. But then again often the joy comes after the trial. Paul and Silas are thrown into jail and they sing and rejoice in the Lord. (Acts 16:16-40) We pray for such a mindset, to receive wisdom from God unto maturity. But as I have experienced that often comes through enduring the trial. The scriptures speak of this, 

"But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For,
“Yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not delay;
but my righteous one shall live by faith,
and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him.”
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls." (Hebrews 10:32-39)

"Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it." (Psalm 139:6) "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9) "O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure." (Isaiah 25:1) "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." (Psalm 139:14) "To them, God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27) 

The purifier in the trial is the mysterious part, the glory received through enduring the trial is the wonderful part, thus mysterious and wonderful are his works and ways. "Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told." (Habakkuk 1:5)

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