Sermonette: God doesn't owe us an explanation

Read the Book of Job. Seriously, if you haven’t read that book of the Bible yet, go read it. Leave my sermonette, read the book and come back. I won’t promise it’s easy or short, but I will promise that it’s got some great truths in it. You won’t regret it.

The main character of the book of Job is, unsurprisingly, Job! Job is a good man, and not “humangood” – Job is regarded as righteous in God’s eyes. However, one day he loses everything. All his animals, all his servants, all his children and even his health. One day he has everything, the next day he has nothing. The bulk of the Book of Job is Job and his three “friends” debating the nature of why bad things happen to good people. His friends insist that Job is not as righteous as he thinks. God must be punishing him for something, because God doesn’t allow bad things to happen to good people. Job insists he is innocent, but knows the difficulties he faces come from God. As the book goes along, Job’s friends dig their heels in, and gradually, a new message comes from Job himself.

Oh, that I knew where I might find him,

that I might come even to his seat!

I would lay my case before him

and fill my mouth with arguments.

– Job 23:3-4

Job wants an answer. Horrific things have happened to him, and as the book moves forward, Job desires an answer from God. As Americans with a Constitution, Bill of Rights and a justice system, this seems reasonable. But the American justice system is designed for disputes between equals; humans with grievances against other humans. God has a different take:

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

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?

Tell me, if you have understanding.

Who determined its measurements – surely you know!

Or who stretched the line upon it?

– Job 38:1-5

This goes on for chapter upon chapter. It’s awesome and terribly embarrassing for Job. Job demanded an explanation from God, as though God is another human being; but God isn’t a human, he’s God. Despite the “apparent injustice,” God doesn’t owe Job any explanation and Job is very out of line to demand it. In fact, the entire reason Job’s life was ruined is because his righteousness was a topic of conversation in heaven – a compliment to Job. However, God never tells him. He never answers Job’s charge. Because he’s God and he owes Job nothing.

For arrogant, self-confident Americans, this is a tough doctrine on a good day, and on a bad day, this one goes down like a pill the size of a pop bottle; but the difficulty accepting it doesn’t affect its truth. Bad things happen to good people every day. On that day, when your life comes crashing down around you through no fault of your own, if you need to shake your fist at the sky, I won’t stop you. But when you take a breath, remember: God is the almighty creator of heaven and earth. We have no grounds to demand an explanation, nor does God owe us one. Rather, learn the lesson Job learned, and double down on your faith. Trust that God has our best interests, even if we never see the whole picture.