January 31 | Bible in a Year: Exodus 25–26; Matthew 20:17–34

In His Hand

In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:10

READ Job 12:7–10

When I glimpse a palette of vivid colours painted across the sky or take in the delicate design of a daffodil, I ponder God the Creator. Beauty can awe us as we see His imprint in nature. Even when we are surrounded by a mass of concrete with no green in sight, we may hear the melodious birdsong and know that God is our Maker.

Job pointed to God as Creator not in wonder, but in what seems like exasperation. Job had been tested to the extreme by God—and his friends and their comments didn’t help him. Job responds to them that they should “ask the animals” or “let the fish in the sea” inform them “that the hand of the Lord has done this” (Job 12:7–9). Job was distraught by the trials that descended on him, and although he was troubled and confused by them, he remained convinced that God could be seen in His creation: “In his hand is the life of every creature” (v.10).

This Old Testament story reminds me that when we gaze at a stunning sunset with tears streaming because of pain or some injustice, yet we can trust in God. Though we suffer now, one day He will welcome us to a place of no more tears and no more crying (Revelation 21:4). As we wait for that wonderful day, He will give us the strength to persevere, even as He did for Job.

By Amy Boucher Pye

Whether life feels sunny or stormy for you, or somewhere in between, how do you sense God’s imprint? Why might you seek to open your eyes and heart to this reality?

Marvellous Maker, in Your hand is the life and breath of every creature on this earth. Help me to wonder at Your creation and give thanks to You.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Gaining a good grasp of the book of Job requires us to understand its literary structure. Though the book begins (chs. 1–2) and ends (42:7–16) in narrative format, the bulk of the book is comprised of speeches packaged in poetry (3:1–42:6), including the stunning monologue of the Almighty Himself (38:1–41:34). By the time the reader comes to chapter 12, all three of Job’s friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—have spoken once. Two more series of speeches follow, and in the last series a fourth counsellor (Elihu) enters the picture (chs. 32–37). In their well-ordered and reasoned speeches, each friend offers explanations for Job’s calamities and prescriptions for a remedy. Job himself is the speaker in chapter 12, where he indicts the denseness of his first three accusers. He directs them to nature which teaches us about the supremacy and sovereignty of God. In verses 7–8, the language of instruction is quite clear: Animals “will teach”; birds “will tell”; the earth “will teach”; the fish will “inform.” Without a word they witness to the wisdom and greatness of God.