Trust

My kids have lots of answers to many of our problems. Or at least, they strongly suggest things that would make their lives better. This week I heard the complaint about the internet being slow, again, and I reminded them that we’re waiting to get an upgrade to better service. One of the older boys asked me, very passionately, ‘Well, have you called them again to get it fixed?” I ‘calmly’ replied that I couldn’t do anything about it, we just had to wait for them to get the wiring installed and hooked up.
But as I thought about his request and the many other requests that I get from my children on a regularly basis, I thought, why can’t they just trust that I’m doing the best I can for them to provide them a safe, healthy and happy home. And I know I need to hear their requests because I don’t always know what would make them feel safer and happier. But it would also be nice to know that they trust that I’m doing what I can to make it happen for them.
And then I got to thinking that’s exactly how I treat God. I mean, so often I bring him my list of requests that I feel would make my world better. And, to be fair, God actually tells us to do that, so it’s not that it’s wrong to do that. But I wonder sometimes if I really show my trust in God with how I approach him and bring my requests to him. Do I have an attitude of grace and an expectation of God’s love when I bring my requests to him?
The book of Job can help answer that question. Most of us know how Job lost nearly everything in his life: his wealth, his kids, even his health and was left to figure out how to deal with that loss. And most of the book of Job is filled with his complaints, laments and frustration. And then God shows up at the end.
God responds to Job’s words with this in Job 38.2, “Who are you to question my wisdom with your ignorant, empty words?” (GNT) Basically, it seems, God tells Job to shut up and listen. And most of the rest of the book of Job is God revealing who he is, what he’s done and how Job needs to remember that. And most of it refers to God’s power over creation and his ability to create and provide for his creation.
And Job listens. He responds to God with repentance for his attitude and words and is blessed because of it. And I wonder, do we live like God cares for us? Do we have an attitude of grace and peace when we bring requests to God? I pray we do. God bless.