100518: Judge of All the Earth

The world is passing away, and [also] its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 2:17 (NASB)

Hymn: "We Sing the Mighty Power of God" Isaac Watts

How many times have we heard atheists, when asked about what they would do if they actually met God, explain that they would demand answers about how the world is. "How dare you," general thrust of these questions tends to go, "how dare you allow a world that has these things in it?"​

When God finally addresses Job, starting in chapter 38 of the book named for him, He challenges Job to stand up and raise charges. He charges Job multiple times to "gird up your loins and stand up like a man" and lay out his case against God in the midst of his trials. Job, for his part, answers very briefly in chapter 40.

Then Job answered the LORD and said,
"Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?
I lay my hand on my mouth.
"Once I have spoken, and I will not answer;
Even twice, and I will add nothing more."
Job 40:3-5 (NASB)

The theme of the day's reading is God's supreme power, but beyond that, God's supreme right to judge. God is the very foundation of the concept of justice, He is the cornerstone upon which everything we know and value rests. We cannot hold Him to a standard because He is the one true standard, and we can never know either His creation or the proper application of His law better than He does. He creates, He sustains, He tames the most powerful wild forces and humbles the most exalted mortal soul. Confronted with His glory, none may stand and lay a charge. If we allow ourselves for even a moment to believe that we have something to condemn in Him, then our idea of God is a pale comparison to the One revealed in scripture.

We must remember that this God we serve is so much greater than we can even imagine, and His methods are perfect on a scale we cannot comprehend. When we get lost in our concerns about the troubles we face in this life, we can come back to confidence in the knowledge that God has things under control, God knows what He is doing and what He is allowing, and that His promise that those in Him shall be glorified with Him will not be interrupted by momentary muck and mire. And we can look forward to the completion of His perfect plan and justice, and say with Abraham,

Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?
​Genesis 18:25c (NASB)