Sunday, January 21, 2007

The Greatest Writer of All Times

As a writer, I truly appreciate fine, lyrical, masterful writing. In years and years of reading and writing, I've never read more beautiful writing than the words of God found in Job 38-42. If you want to be lifted up to the heights, read these books of Job and know that God is the Master Writer of all times.

In Job, God challenges our assumptions with Divine insight, with startling imagery that is often beyond our imagination, and yet, with imagery that tantilizes our imagination.

We glimpse God as the All-Knowing Creator of the universe, and all in His own words. How marvelous is that?

I'll share a few verses from Job. In these passages, God is speaking to Job out of a storm. Job has just lost all of his worldly wealth, all of his sons and daughters, and now Job is covered with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Job's friends offer counsel, but God has the last word. Here are some of the words God spoke to Job.

"Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades?
Can you Loose the cords of Orion?
Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons
or lead out the Bear with its cubs?
Do you know the laws of the heavens?
Can you set up God's dominion over the earth?
Can you raise your voice to the clouds
and cover yourself with a flood of water?

Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?
Do they report to you, 'Here we are?'

Who endowed the heart with wisdom
or gave understanding to the mind?

Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens
when the dust becomes hard and the clods of earth stick together?"

. . . Job 38:31-38 (NIV)

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