Jimmy crack corn

And I dint care

Missionary Care and Backpacking (Part 2)

A group of us were recently on our 31st annual backpacking trip, this time in the drought-stricken Sequoia National Park in California.  The ranger station informed us there may not be enough water at our hoped for campsite, but they were unsure.  We met a hiker just 20 minutes from where we planned to camp, and he told us there was too little water there, and we would have to go to a lake 4.5 miles further to camp.  However, when we got there and followed the stream, there was enough water for us.

Likewise, as a Church Care Team, we need to make sure we get accurate information about our missionaries’ situation before taking precipitous action.  We need to make sure we get the perspective of the team leaders, the agency, and perhaps a visit to the field before taking such drastic action as agreeing to let the missionary come home.

Our hiker informant gave accurate information about a half-mile part of the trail to the lake that was at a 15-degree slope with no switchbacks.  As we went down this part of the trail, all of us dreaded the hike back up later that day.  As leader, I decided I would set a slower pace so all of us could be together as we went up this steep slope.  That way, no one would be left behind and become further discouraged.  We made it up by taking breaks and encouraging each other much faster than I imagined.

Our missionaries need us as a Church Care Team to work together with them and the agency when they hit tough climbs in their service.  This could be an illness, getting thrown out of the country, or debilitating team conflict.  We need to walk with them together, helping set a pace they can follow, with rest periods and plenty of encouragement.  This may be the difference between weathering the crisis or coming home prematurely.

Another observation during the trip was that one person can’t carry the entire load; one needs to carry the tent, another food, another the water filtration pump, etc.  Also, some are better climbing up, but others are better going down.

We need to utilize the strengths and acknowledge the weaknesses on our care teams and make sure the load is evenly distributed.   Sometimes the team leader may think he or she is the only one who can get things done to the appropriate standard, then becomes overburdened by the load, not realizing others on the team may have strengths in areas that person lacks.

- Dr. William Britt, PhD

Missionary Care and Backpacking - (Part 1)

Backpacking is one of the best ways to completely unplug from our modern, fast-paced, digital and “always connected” world. A few days in the wilderness forces the adventurer to un-plug and to re-engage the base elements of who we truly are from God’s perspective so that He can speak to our inner core.

A few weeks ago, Bill Britt and I made our way to the backcountry of California’s western Sierra Mountains. Beginning at around 7,800 feet and ascending Mitchell Peak at 10,365, we had some time on the trail to allow the Lord to help us understand what missionaries are experiencing on the field. Even though we hear their stories and try to help from afar, we rarely get the chance to slow down enough to gain a broader perspective. The next two blog posts are just some thoughts from this strenuous and even gnarly trail.

Keeping the end goal in mind is the greatest motivator. We heard that Mitchell Peak has one of the best panoramic views in this mountain range, so no matter how steep the trail, we were committed to reaching the peak. The goal was worth the investment of time, energy and even blisters. However, there were times when all I could do was put one foot in front of the other. My eyes were fixed to my feet, staring at the rocks and the roots, while all around me was a gorgeous landscape of trees, shrubs and glimpses of vast canyons. Likewise, our missionaries need to be continuously reminded of their end goal. They may revert to the tunnel vision of their day-to-day struggle and never raise their heads long enough to take in the beautiful landscape of God’s Kingdom being built all around them. Missed opportunities, rejection and heartache may distract them from enjoying the Lord’s provision all along their journey.

There is much to be learned from the old adage “where there is smoke, there is fire”. Our hike was planned months in advance, way before wild fires effected many of California’s national parks. We could smell the smoke and from the peak, we could see billows of smoke and ash in the distance. Though fire can destroy the trees, there is amazing resiliency of the forest to restore itself. We packed through areas where fire had blazed through in previous years. The tall trees were standing dead, but amazingly, small trees were beginning to grow that would eventually take their place. In the midst of trials, missionaries need to remember Ecclesiastes 3: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” There are seasons of growth, seasons of decline, seasons of hardship and seasons of renewal. The church can help them determine what season they are in, and help them to look forward to what will come.

I got lost in the woods…

The Eastern Sierra mountains in California is a great place to spend a few days getting reconnected with my Creator. I feel closer to God when I am surrounded by what He has made, and it appears that the Lord is just ‘showing off’ His glory all around the Palisades glacier. It takes a couple days of strenuous hiking to get there, but well worth the effort. Years ago, we ventured into this wilderness with only a paper map to guide our steps. A few years later, I discovered the joy of owning my own GPS navigation unit that helped leave digital “bread-crumbs” so that we could find our way back. However, at some point in the journey, I needed to recharge the batteries with a solar charger… you know, the one I left behind in my garage before we left home.

“No worries, I am a man, and men don’t need directions. We can find our way around by ourselves…”

File that under “famous last words”.

I think of my hiking experience sometimes when I am talking to missionaries who have returned on home assignment. Their sending church can be like a forest and our global workers may need a guide to help them navigate the complex terrain. Changes in leadership, re-alignment of priorities, attendance growth and decline are all common in churches that send missionaries. Likewise, churches need help understanding the needs of cross-cultural ministers. The book “Mind the Gaps” was written by people who care about missionaries and their vital relationship with their sending church.

I would love the opportunity to provide resources and guidance as we journey with missionaries, churches and the agency serving the Lord and sharing gospel together.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up… And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Eccl. 4:9-12)

Visit the website: www.MindTheGaps.org for more information and additional resources.

Also, register now for a free online webinar on Wednesday, May 17, 2017 at:

http://1615.org/event/mind-the-gaps-engaging-the-church-in-missionary-care

Calling: Hearing God's Voice

This year marks my 20^th anniversary of answering God’s call to ministry, so as an exercise of ‘recalling’ that experience, I have been studying and meditating on the many ways God’s people have heard God’s voice over the years. Both in scripture as well as in modern times, people have answered The Lord’s calling to serve Him in this world as ambassadors for a heavenly kingdom. While God speaks to everyone differently, according to their unique design, I have attempted to categorize the different ways people have heard from God so that a new generation of Christ followers can hone their listening skills to hear His voice.

Just to demonstrate a stark contrast in the way God has called his people in scripture, consider the different callings of Moses, David, Esther and Paul:

The call of Moses – Exodus 3:2-10

And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians… Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

Later, in Exodus 33:11, scripture says, “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.”

The call of David - I Samuel 16:1-13

The Lord said to Samuel… “Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons… And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you… Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature… For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart… And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward.

The call of Esther – Esther 4:13-14

Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

The call of Paul – Acts 13:1-3

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

These four call experiences from scripture highlight some of the many ways in which the Lord interacts with His people. Moses heard from God directly, with no intermediary. David was anointed through a prophet of the Lord. Esther was placed by God into a circumstance where only she could be His vessel to accomplish His purposes.

In this one instance, Paul was called out and sent by a body of leaders from the church. However, he also had other interactions with God through visions and dreams (Acts 18:9), through the person of Ananias (Acts 9), and by direct revelation from Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:12).

Theologians like to put the call of God into two neat and tidy categories: general revelation and special revelation (see Erickson, Christian Theology P.175-198, 1993).  For the purposes of this exercise, I have decided to broaden these terms to understand calling in a more practical way and to help a new generation of church leaders and missionaries hear the voice of God as He calls them to serve.

Types of call experiences:

1.    Invitational – Jesus was walking by men at work on the sea and invited them to “Follow Me”. Those men became His “disciples”, meaning followers, learners, students, protégés or mentees.  Today, there are pastors, retired missionaries, and church leaders who can look around their congregations and, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, invite people to step up and serve alongside them in some way. They could say, “I sense God moving in your life and I would like to invite you to join me in serving the Lord.” This begins a mentoring relationship that will guide and shape the future direction of the follower. Steve Harling, President of ReachBeyond (formerly HCJB) preached a sermon one time on mentoring and described the “Three Gifts of a Mentor”:

a.    Affirmation – “You are really good at this. You have a gift”

b.    Inspiration – “I saw you do this and I want you to continue and grow in it”

c.    Elevation – “Here is your opportunity and I’m getting out of your way”

2.    Scriptural – Some of the ascetics, like Richard Foster and Dallas Willard, will emphasize that when someone engages in spiritual disciplines like prayer, reading scripture, meditation and solitude, people open their hearts up to hearing a message from God. “Specifically, in our attempts to understand how God speaks to us and guides us we must, above all, hold on to the fact that learning how to hear God is to be sought only as a part of a certain kind of life, a life of loving fellowship with the King and his other subjects within the kingdom of the heavens.” (Willard: Hearing God, p. 39) “Christian meditation, very simply, is the ability to hear God’s voice and obey his word.” (Foster: Celebration of Discipline, p. 17) While reading through scripture, some believers will sense God’s prompting, either by reading something like the Great Commission in Matthew 28 or by praying from Luke 10:2 “Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers.” They will accept this as God speaking directly to them and thereby accept His call to serve.

3.    Supernatural – I realize that just by including this category, I have excluded myself from many evangelical social events, and have just been labeled a Pentecostal / Charismatic / “Strange Fire” neophyte. Personally, I have not experienced the miraculous, but I believe that others have. Even though I have not seen a miracle, I still believe that God can (and does) work in supernatural ways. This portion of my blog may not be acceptable for the “Friendly Fire” conference (oops, I mean “Strange Fire”), but please don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Yes, there are abuses that take place in every arena of Christianity (including cessationism as well as continuationism), but I implore you to leave your mind open to the possibility that God could choose to use dreams, visions, miraculous signs and even an occasional burning bush to call His people into His harvest.

4.    Experiential – Early in my walk with Christ, I was exposed to the writings of Henry Blackaby and his work “Experiencing God”. After fifteen weeks of in-depth study, I walked away with the summation that we should be ‘reading the signs’ that God is giving to us. When we do this, we will see where God is working and be compelled to join Him. This has been my favorite part of the faith journey as a pastor and as a mobilizer for missionaries. In those times of confusion, where I begin to wonder what the Lord is doing, this simple yet profound teaching has always taken me to a new depth of understanding God. The gift of being able to look around with my five ‘temporal’ senses, and discover an eternal perspective, requires intentionality, determination, and will-power, but the reward is a greater connection with our creator.

5.    Affirmational – There are times when people have come to me and said, “Dave, I want to serve the Lord, but I don’t know what He wants me to do or where He wants me to go.” At those moments, unless I have a specific prompting from the Lord, I take a phrase from Alcoholics Anonymous and say “Just do the next right thing.” If the Lord affirms that, then keep doing it. If not, stop it, then “Just do the next right thing, again.” (Wash, Rinse, Repeat) At some point, the Lord will make His will clear if you put your trust in Him. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5)

6.    Personal – What is your story? There are numerous occupational style assessment tools available that take into consideration your spiritual gifts, background and experiences, recurring themes in your life, your passions, desires and abilities. It may be as simple as your love for accounting which is pre-wired in your heart for the purpose of managing the books for a missionary sending agency. Recently, a Psychology student mentioned to me that he was sensing God calling him to be a missionary, but he was almost finished with his graduate degree. He asked, “Why would God call me to be a missionary, when I am training to be a therapist?” I shared with him that missionaries have strained relationships, unhealthy marriages and have traumatic experiences just like everyone else. There is a specialty in the mission world called “Member Care” and we need people with a psychological background to provide care for front-line workers. So, what is your story?

7.    Circumstantial – The book of Esther is unique in many ways, but one difference from all the other books of the Bible, is that God is never mentioned. Of course, He is assumed, but there is not the typical appearance nor interaction of a Creator with His creation. Queen Esther is the heroine, not because of her obedience to the Lord, but because she was in a certain place, at a certain time, when she was the only person who could affect an outcome. Her uncle Mordecai proclaims his faith by saying “…if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place”. By this, he is proclaiming that God’s purposes will be accomplished, regardless of who makes it happen, thereby describing both free-will at the same time understanding the determinism of God’s will.

These categories are not meant to be exclusive or exhaustive, but they should serve as a starting place for your quest to hear God’s voice as He is calling you into His harvest. The important thing to consider is if you’ll be obedient to Him and surrender your will to His will. Generally speaking, God’s calling is not always comfortable. Consider the four examples from scripture given above:

Moses resisted God at first and Exodus 4:14 states that “Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses…” because he kept coming up with excuses to not do what the Lord was calling him to do.

David was the least likely to succeed in his family. He was the small, ruddy, shepherd boy and was not even considered an option by his family when the brothers were lining up to be seen by the prophet of God. The Lord even prepared Samuel ahead of time by saying, “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

If Esther had not accepted this responsibility, then the story would have been the same, but the name of this book would be ‘Deborah, or ‘Elizabeth’, or ‘Hannah” or someone else other than Esther. Praise God for Esther, but I wonder if there was someone else who did not step up to the challenge “for such a time as this”.

It took Paul seventeen years of preparation to go from being a persecutor of the church to serving as a carrier of Christ’s message to the gentiles. We do not have the ability to fully comprehend the significance of how a “Pharisee of Pharisees” would feel about being called by God to serve the “gentile dogs”, but it may be similar to a neo-nazi skinhead being called to serve the multi-ethnic communities of Manhattan’s lower east-side or south-central Los Angeles.

Even though someone may experience a call to full-time ministry or missionary service, there still needs to be some checks and balances in affirming the call. God created us to be social beings and to be held accountable by each other. Because of this, there are some authority issues that should be considered based on one’s ecclesiology. For the sake of simplicity, here are four basic sources of authority to consider in affirming the call of an individual and the assumption of responsibility by mission/ministry leaders:

1.    Scripture – Evangelical / Protestant traditions will raise scripture to the position of highest authority in the matter of any issue regarding faith or practice. The call of God must fit within the parameters of “what the Bible says”. This would include Baptists and other Evangelicals.

2.    Counsel / Elders – in the Presbyterian form of church governance, they place authority in the office of a representative body (or Elders). These delegate officials make decisions and approve any appointment based on their corporate understanding of God’s divine will (the group must agree). This would include the Presbyterian church and the Reformed church.

3.    A person – In the episcopal form of church governance, the Bishop, Priest or Pope is the ultimate authority and His decisions can override previous decisions as well as scripture itself.  The Catholic church and the Episcopal church are examples.

4.    The Holy Spirit – Charismatics and Pentecostals rely heavily on spiritual inspiration, intuition, emotional awareness and supernatural stimulation. In this category, there are many types of churches, but I would also include the Quakers who emphasize the “inner light” as well as the Plymouth Brethren who avoid any organization, while fully trusting in the Holy Spirit as a ruling force.

As you can see, the question of authority can vary greatly from one church, denomination or organization. It would be a very important and valuable conversation to have with your church leaders, for anyone who is sensing God’s call to full time ministry or missionary service.

Another important consideration is equipping. It has been said that “God does not call the equipped, but he equips the called.” Sometimes, the Lord uses people in ways that are outside of their comfort zones, so that He can demonstrate His power. Moses had a speech impediment, so how could he speak with authority to crowds and to kings? David was a shepherd boy from a working class family, so how could he be a king? Esther was breaking all the rules by approaching the king without being summoned first. Paul had a thorn in the flesh, yet he understood that the Lord was ultimately in charge of the outcome when he said:

“But the Lord said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Most serious mission leaders find it difficult to separate ‘the call to missionary service’ from ‘the call to suffer for the cause of Christ’. Suffering is a part of the job description for missionaries on the field. Consider the one aspect of this calling is to leave your friends, family, culture, language and the day-to-day sense of normalcy, and move to a place where you do not know the people, the cultural nuances, the ways of thinking, and the local expectations. This scenario is wrought with potential suffering before the adventure even begins. This is particularly relevant for those who choose to make their new home in a land that is hostile to their message.

Anyone who considers a call to the ministry or missionary service should at least know what Tertullian said in “Apology”

Go zealously on, good presidents! You will stand higher with the people if you sacrifice us, kill us, torture us, condemn us and grind us to dust, as they demand. Your injustice is the proof that we are innocent. That is why God allows us to suffer… Your cruelty, however great, is no benefit to you, however it serves as an attraction to our sect. The more we are mown down by you, the more we grow. The blood of Christians is seed of a new life.

So, have you heard God’s voice? Do you sense that He is calling you to serve Him in His harvest? Are you willing to obey? Is there something you feel led to do, but you don’t feel like you are capable? Trust Him today and He will guide you tomorrow.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

    and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him,

    and he will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5

Question for discussion and thought:

What is the difference between Call and Clarity?

Is Clarity “to this place” and “for this purpose”?

Can we know Clarity, or should we just accept Call?

WARNING: Contains Nuts!

Last week when I was shopping at Costco, I picked up a pack of almonds. Healthy people say that we should buy raw and unsalted almonds, so I picked up the biggest bag of nuts I could find. There was something interesting on the nutrition label; this bag of nuts had a note of caution: “Warning: Contains Nuts.” Seemed to be quite obvious to me, but apparently, someone thought it necessary to warn people that this bag of nuts contained… nuts.


Over the last few years, the Missionary Care Team at Trinity Church in Redlands, CA has been conducting research on the topic of missionary care. We have read books together, attended conferences together, met with sending agency representatives and interviewed missionaries to get a broader perspective on the current thinking and best practices in this vital role of the Great Commission. One of the things we noticed was that the Church was missing in many parts of the conversation. Most of the attention was given to equipping member care professionals within the sending agency, while the church was taking on an ancillary role. (Even considering the term “Member Care” leaves the local church out of the discussion. We had to use the word “Missionary Care” in our book since member care means something completely different in the context of the local church).


Some of our inquiries and discussions with sending agencies were met with skepticism and uncertainty. Apparently, over the years, the church has developed some sloppy habits, including the outsourcing of the Great Commission to missionaries and their agencies. As we place the monthly check on autopilot and hang their photo on the foyer wall, we go about our business of building the local church and leave the global church to the “professionals.” Often, the only time the church breaks the silence is when something goes wrong. When a missionary has failed to meet the standard of perfection (that is naïvely ascribed to them by the church) then church leaders step in with demands and sometimes even withdrawal of support.


So why would sending agencies even consider letting the church become more involved in the care of missionaries when there are so many stories like this happening all the time? When missionary funding is the bargaining chip and over-reaction is the method of operation, then what is the benefit of involving the church?


Our hope, through Mind the Gaps, is to provide training, initiate dialogue, and offer a realistic understanding of the roles that the church and agency can play. Working together to support our missionaries on the field in a pro-active and thoughtful way, can create a system of care that reduces burnout and attrition.


My note of caution for anyone reading this – “Warning: the church is full of sinners, hypocrites, and other imperfect people (self included)”. As a Pastor, serving in a local church since 1996, I must confess with honest disclosure, that we really should have a warning sign like they do on the bag of nuts. With this in mind, we humbly submit ourselves to working cooperatively with missionaries and their agencies. And we challenge other churches to join us on this journey, as we Mind the Gaps of care together.

JOB: Conclusion "Blessed be the Name"

Conclusion

Job 40-42

Do you really think about what you are singing in church on Sunday morning? Matt Redman has a song called “Blessed Be the Name of the Lord”. Here is a sample:

Blessed be your name, when the sun’s shining down on me

When the world’s all as it should be, blessed be your name

Blessed be your name, on the road marked with suffering

Though there’s pain in the offering, blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out, I’ll turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in, Lord Still I will say "Blessed be your name"

You give and take away, you give and take away

My heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be your name

In the book of Job, as in life, attitude is everything! We miss the point if we seek to find the answer of why there is suffering in the world. As this song points out, our attitude should be that we will bless the Lord regardless of our circumstances. If you recall at the very beginning, the Deceiver/Adversary Satan seeks to assume the nature of Job’s trust in the Lord. First, it was his possessions. Second, it was his own flesh. We discover that all along, Job was a man who placed his trust in the Lord with the proper attitude and perspective he established in Chapter 1 “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:20-21)

The book of Job is heralded as a book with universal appeal because of the fact that everyone suffers. But Job is more than a book of suffering. This is a chronicle of the journey in faith of a man who knew God. Job provides us with an example of what a proper attitude toward suffering should look like. If our struggles are handled properly, the suffering will increase our faith just as Job’s faith was increased in the end. God invites us into a relationship with Him, so that we can tell Him about our struggles and draw meaning from them. When we seek answers to the question of suffering, we are seeking a religion, just like Job’s friends... a religion that had become their god. But, when we seek to trust in God, despite our circumstances, then we transcend the intellectual pursuit of God and enter into a fulfilling relationship with the Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer and Friend of Job.

Lord, Blessed Be Your name!

JOB: God – The Judge Enters His Court

God – The Judge Enters His Court

Job 37-39

Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? (Job 38:2)

As God enters the courtroom, we realize that He has been listening to all of these speeches from somewhere behind the scenes and knows all of the participants in this drama. His full attention is directed to His beloved Job. The Lord does not enter softly, but within a whirlwind and directs Job to get off his ash heap and prepare himself like a man. We can tell right away that this will not be a light and casual conversation between Job and his Creator.

Just like in a court of law there are many questions asked. God looks at Job and says “You claim to have so much understanding, so where were you on the day when I laid the foundation of the earth?” (my interpretation of Job 38:4 - Just like a scene from Perry Mason). For the next two chapters, God recounts His mighty power so that He can give Job some perspective beyond his current condition. We see that God is in control of the earth, the sea, the stars and the sun. In poetic language, the mysteries of the universe are extolled and all of God’s creation is put up for exhibit. Exhibit A is that He is Creator of all things. Exhibit B is that all things are under His control. Exhibit C is that there is a purpose for all things which He has created.

God draws our attention to some very strange animals like the Ostrich – a bird that does not fly and will abandon her eggs. The Behemoth and Leviathan are also mentioned in greater detail. There are numerous ways to interpret these unknown beings. Some believe that this is an ancient description of dinosaurs. Others see them as mythical figures, and still others believe that they are similar to the hippopotamus and crocodile. Regardless, God is describing his creation in such a way as to demonstrate His power through His creation.

Job has still not received answers to his questions, but when he experiences the Presence of the Lord, nothing else seems to matter. Job realizes his insignificance when compared to the deeds of the Almighty. He lays his hands over his mouth (Job 40:4). I think sometimes that is the best practice of our faith. In the words of the Christian rock band Petra, “Seen and not heard, Seen and not heard, Sometimes God’s children should be seen and not heard. There’s too much talk and not enough walk, Sometimes God’s children should be seen and not heard.”

Job probably wished he had maintained his silence when he spoke “words without knowledge” (Job 38:2), and he was blameless and upright! Are there times when you wish you had kept silent?