Where is God?

Job 23:8-10

America is on the brink of Civil war. Evil people who openly call for violence against their political opposition have won two branches of the government, and have the power to take the third. Before they even come to power they have began attacking their opponents. Anyone who has dared to oppose them is at risk of being fired. This is not exaggeration. These are facts. Some people are asking, "Where is God?" and "Why does he not hear our prayers?" That is the same question Job was asking.

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Behold, I go forward, but he is not there;

And backward, but I cannot perceive him:

9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him:

He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

10 But he knoweth the way that I take:

When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Job 23:8-10

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Verses 8 and 9 describe Job's feelings about finding God. He describes looking in front, behind, to his left, and his right and God is not there. The description is not of him simply turning his head. He says in verse 8, "I go". This means that he searched in front of him and behind him. He did not cast a casual glance but actually spent time looking.

There are times when we act like children who have been sent into a room to find an object. A mother may say, "Go to your room and get your jacket". The child will walk in and immediately exclaim, "I can't find it". Just as soon as the mother walks in the room, she sees the jacket laying on the floor in front of the child's bed. The child did not look. While there are times that this is the amount of effort we give to looking for God, this is not what Job describes.

He says in verse 9, "I cannot behold him" and "He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him". Job is saying that God has made Himself unperceivable. Job felt a distance from God that he was not accustomed to. He did not like it. He did not want it. He wanted to know where God was so that he could talk with him. He wanted to understand what was going on.

No doubt, if you are a Christian, you have felt this way too. There has probably been times in your life where you felt God was not near. This often leads to a sense of hopelessness. Dread and dismay can quickly swoop in and overtake us. However, this should not be our response. Look at what Job went on to say.

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But he knoweth the way that I take:

When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Job 23:10

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Life is filled with trials. Job was in a period of intense trials. He could not avoid being aware of his current circumstances, but he also had a view beyond his here and now. Job looked to the finish line of the trial. He knew that he would be refined by the fire like gold, not destroyed like straw.

When I was running cross country in high school, I would often imagine the finish line. We ran 3.1 to 3.2 miles depending on the course. It was not a straight course and we often could not see the finish line. Yet, before each race we were shown the finish line. I would imagine that spot as a ran and my goal was to get there. The Christian walk is no different. We know where we are heading and we must fix our thoughts on the finish line. We may not be able to see it yet, but we can imagine it and know that we will reach it in time. We can also know that God is waiting for us at the finish line!

Father, there is much that we can fear and dread in this world. There are uphill climbs and downhill falls. Seldom is this journey flat and smooth. Help us to fix our eyes on the finish line and on you. May we like Job say, "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold"!