The Word for Today: Job 38:1 -- 40:5
mark this: 38:4--
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.
mark this: 40:4
Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth.
In the presence of God...
all the trash talk, the loose talk, the balderdash, the BS, the pretense, the put-on, the put-down, the blather, the bravado, the bluster, the filibuster, the psychobabble, the preening, the posturing, the pomposity, the pontification, the clever retort, the witty repartee, the rejoinder, the smokescreen, the whitewash, the innuendo, the bloviation, the bloviator, and the blowhard...
all will silence themselves in abject awe.
In the presence of God, those who haven't experienced the fear of the LORD--which the Bible says is the beginning of wisdom (1)--will gain sudden clarity: like Job, we will lay our hands over our mouths and finally manage to shut up.
The universal experience of those who are in God's presence (2) is to hit the deck in sudden realization of just Who He is--and just who we are, seen in His light. We will never define God, but His mere presence will define us.
Get a head start down the path to wisdom. Fear the LORD today.
(1) Proverbs 9:10; (2) See Genesis 17:3; Ezekiel 1:28; Daniel 8:17; Revelation 1:17; et. al.
mark this: 38:4--
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.
mark this: 40:4
Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth.
In the presence of God...
all the trash talk, the loose talk, the balderdash, the BS, the pretense, the put-on, the put-down, the blather, the bravado, the bluster, the filibuster, the psychobabble, the preening, the posturing, the pomposity, the pontification, the clever retort, the witty repartee, the rejoinder, the smokescreen, the whitewash, the innuendo, the bloviation, the bloviator, and the blowhard...
all will silence themselves in abject awe.
In the presence of God, those who haven't experienced the fear of the LORD--which the Bible says is the beginning of wisdom (1)--will gain sudden clarity: like Job, we will lay our hands over our mouths and finally manage to shut up.
The universal experience of those who are in God's presence (2) is to hit the deck in sudden realization of just Who He is--and just who we are, seen in His light. We will never define God, but His mere presence will define us.
Get a head start down the path to wisdom. Fear the LORD today.
(1) Proverbs 9:10; (2) See Genesis 17:3; Ezekiel 1:28; Daniel 8:17; Revelation 1:17; et. al.
Well said Mr. Franklyn. Well said indeed. I will fall on my face in fear and trembling.
ReplyDeleteGlenn--
ReplyDeleteJob 38 always crushes me, always causes me to hit the deck...right in mid-pontification!
I thought you made it up- but here it is.
ReplyDeleteblo·vi·ate (blv-t)
intr.v. blo·vi·at·ed, blo·vi·at·ing, blo·vi·ates Slang
To discourse at length in a pompous or boastful manner: "the rural Babbitt who bloviates about 'progress' and 'growth'" (George Rebeck).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Mock-Latinate formation, from blow.]
Hi, Vickie--
ReplyDeleteI tucked that away a few years ago, and have associated it with some of the grandiose pronouncements of our governmental "leaders."
And don't tell Shelley I managed to work 'BS' and 'blowhard' into a Bible blog. There will be no supper for Franklyn, if you do!
You're busted. I read your blog every day and there's no getting this one past me. I think there's a can of chili in the pantry....enjoy!
ReplyDeleteJust kidding of course. (you probably have something better than that stashed in your kitchen anyway).
Personally, this whole section of Job reminds me even on the days when I think I've done alright and haven't committed any blatantly outrageous sins that I still fall short and need my Savior Jesus. Fear and trembling sounds like an approach I need to adopt more often. That lightning storm the other night reminded me in a big way how awesome God is and how small I am.
shelley
Hey Shelley,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your comments!
Repentence isn't fun, but it doesn't take more than a speck of my own righteousness to drive a wedge(like a redwood tree) between me and God. The benefit of brokenness and repentence is priceless, REAL life and REAL peace.
I liked God's visual too. Wrote my first blog about it on the ninth. I just set up my blog on blogger-livinginlockport. I'm still fine tuning.