Silenced

His lips fell silent today. For almost 30 chapters a man named Job and his three friends debated. They argued. They questioned. They looked for answers but found none.

Today Job fell silent. He defended his integrity one last time and then, “The words of Job ended.” (Job 31:40) Just like that, Job stopped talking. He stopped asking questions. He stopped seeking answers. In what was probably utter hopelessness, he shut his mouth.

To summarize the past 30 chapters of the Book of Job:

Job had it all.

Job lost it all.

Job worshiped.

Job whined.

Job wrestled with God.

Job wanted to die.

And now, in silence Job waits.

Why is it so hard to fall silent before God? Even when my lips are still, my heart and my mind continue to race. They continue to wrestle. They continue to contend with the Almighty.

I think it’s interesting that although God had the answers all along, it wasn’t until Job closed his mouth that God actually began to speak. It’s almost like God was waiting for Job to fall silent so He could speak truth to him.

I’m thinking there is a lesson I need to learn here. So many times I allow my words to fill the space between me and God. I want God to fill the space between me and Him.

When I pray I wonder if God is up in heaven with his arms folded saying, “Are you done yet?” Not that God doesn’t want to hear my prayers, He does. He’s probably just wondering when it’s going to be His turn to talk.

Like Job, I don’t usually fall silent until I’ve exhausted myself. And even then the quiet only lasts long enough for me to catch my breath. Job’s silence lasted long enough for a fourth “friend” to add to the conversation. Then . . . finally . . . it was God’s turn.

A part of me wants to hurry up and get to chapter 38 where God answers Job out of the whirlwind. The other part of me wants to sit here in the quiet for a minute. I want to hear what silence sounds like. I want the space between me and God to be filled with Him.

So, if you don’t mind, I’m going to sit here for just a minute and listen to the silence. I wonder what it is that God wants me to hear . . .

“My soul, wait in silence for God only,

for my hope is from Him.”

Psalm 62:5

Naked and Unashamed

I love weddings. I think God must love weddings . . . and brides. After all, the Bible begins with a wedding in Genesis Chapter 2 . . . marriage and wedding symbolism is used throughout the Old and New Testaments . . . and the Bible ends with the marriage feast of the Lamb and his Bride.

My favorite part of a wedding is when the wedding march begins and the bride makes her appearance. As everyone turns and faces the back of the sanctuary I do just the opposite. I face the front and try to get a glimpse of the groom at just the right time: the moment he sets eyes on his beloved. I always know when the bride arrives. The groom’s face lights up.

As I continued reading through the Bible this week I began to wonder about the first wedding. Once again, not many details are recorded in Scripture, only a simple phrase in Genesis 2:22: “and God brought her to the man.”

Although it doesn’t sound like much of a wedding, I bet it was beautiful. Do you remember the scene in Sleeping Beauty when Princess Aurora sings Once Upon a Dream in the forest? The little woodland animals line the path. Tchaikovsky’s waltz is heard in the background. Everyone watches the beautiful princess, including her future groom, Prince Phillip. His eyes light up.

I wonder what look Adam had on his face when God arrived with Eve.

Remember what had just happened prior to this scene. Adam had acted as Grand Marshall at the first parade after which he found himself newly aware of a thing called loneliness. While Adam slept, God stole a rib and fashioned it into a women . . . (a drop dead gorgeous woman I’m sure.) Now fully awake, Adam responds by claiming Eve as his very own. God switches roles from Father of the Bride to Priest. In this role He consecrates the union and deems it holy . . . irrevocable . . . sacred.

Then comes my favorite verse:

“And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”

No, I’m not a nudist.

I just love the thought of Adam and Eve standing naked before God and one another. They stood in absolute freedom and complete acceptance. Nothing hindered their relationship. There was no baggage. No remorse. No guilt. No shame. (I can almost hear Tchaikovsky’s waltz playing in the background.)

I often have to remind myself that when I stand before God I too am naked and unashamed. Naked because all of my thoughts and ways are known by Him. Unashamed because He assures me there is “now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1). Despite God’s intimate knowledge of me, there is no condemnation. No shame. Nothing but nakedness.

In a sense, God looks at me with that “I just got a glimpse of my beloved” look in His eyes. His face lights up not because I’m stunning. Not because I’m lovely (or even loveable). He looks at me that way because I belong to Him. I am His beloved. I am His bride.

My relationship with Jesus allows me to stand before God naked and unashamed.

Sometimes I have a hard time remembering that.

Day One

As I finish Genesis chapter 2, I glance at my Bible reading schedule. I’m supposed to move on. I need to read chapter 3 before I can mark “Bible Reading” off my list of things to do. I can’t get behind already. It’s only day one.

Despite the pressure to move on, I find myself wanting to linger. A lot has just happened in the last 10 minutes. Light appeared out of nowhere. The heavens parted. Dry land appeared. God hung the stars and called them by name. Sea monsters enjoyed their first plunge. Creatures of all shapes and sizes tried out their new legs.

God exhaled. Adam inhaled. A soul was created.

There was a parade. The hippopotamus got his name. Adam took a nap but woke up in time for the wedding. God complimented Himself on a job well done. Then, He called for a holiday.

As I pause after chapter 2, I begin to understand God’s desire for the first Sabbath. If I’d been in the garden that day I would have wanted to stop and take it all in . . . the sights . . . the sounds . . . the beauty. With all the commotion of creation, rest would have been a welcomed respite.

Although the Bible doesn’t elaborate on what happened on Day Seven, we do know that God issued a blessing. He proclaimed the day holy and then He rested. When the Bible is light on details, I immediately begin to ask questions. Questions like:

What does God do when He rests?

(I’m pretty sure He doesn’t nap, so what does God do when He takes a break?)

Where did Adam and Eve go on their honeymoon?

How much time passed between Genesis Chapter 2 and the events recorded in Chapter 3?

Why are some animals so ugly?

Apparently answers to questions such as these aren’t necessary or God would have filled in the blanks. I guess I’m just going to have to rest in the fact that God rested. He stopped. He took a breath. He brought the beginning of creation to an end.

But as we’ll learn in Genesis Chapter 3, just as the story of creation ended, the story of redemption began. In fact, they’re practically seamless.

The gospel message doesn’t start in the New Testament. It started in Genesis with the words: In the beginning God.

I guess I should move on and read Chapter 3. But, since I know what happens next, I think I’ll just rest here for a minute and take it all in. I have a feeling I’m going to appreciate a few minutes of Sabbath rest before I turn the page.

 “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts.

By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done,

and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it,

because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”

Genesis 2:1-3