I AM NOT AS AWESOME AS I THINK I AM
- Key Verse
"Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it? (Job 38:12-13)
READ THE CHAPTER
Central Truth
God is the awesome, all-powerful, loving, forgiving Creator of the universe and all things in it. We are the simple-minded, fragile, limited humans who can't even understand a part of who God is. So why do we think we can do things by ourselves?
Reflections
"I am such an amazing person. I earned myself a job. I taught myself how to drive. I go to church every Sunday and I serve in Children's ministry. I earned a scholarship for college. I wrote this devotion. I am so wonderful and godly and awesome."It's hard to admit, but we all think like this sometimes. We see all the good that has happened, and we give ourselves credit for God's blessings. Then we think we don't need Him anymore and that we can do it all on our own. This is usually about the time when God gives us a trial to bring us back to Him.
The same thing happened to Job. His friends talked for several chapters about how he was a great, godly man and that he didn't deserve the trials. When he started to believe them, he got a talking to. The simple truth is: God is God and He can do whatever He wants. He is in control, not us. When we go through trials, it's just God's way of teaching us something and letting us lean on Him. If everything went perfect all the time we would never think about how much we need God. Seriously, have you really ever "given orders to the morning" ? (v. 12) Or shown the dawn what to do? Think of God literally taking the earth by its edges and shaking all the evil people out of it! Wait, that's all of us, isn't it? "We [a]ll have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) None of us are good enough or godly enough to get to Heaven on our own, so why would we think that we can do anything else without God's help?
Maybe we should sound more like this, "God is so amazing and loving. He gave me this job and the knowledge to do what I do. He gave me a place where I can serve Him because He is great. He blesses me even though I don't deserve it, so I'm going to tell people about His greatness."
Discussion Questions
1. What are some trials that God has placed in your life?
2. How can you use them to grow closer to God?
3. What are some blessings He has given you?
4. How can you use them to show others His greatness?
Comments
The views expressed under “Comments” are solely
those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Hill Country Bible Church NW.
randy
April 20, 2010 11:11 PM
"God is so amazing and loving... and He has given me a place where I can serve Him... because He is great! And He blesses me even though I don't deserve it... so I am going to tell people about Him and His greatness." Thank you for your devo - great reminders!
Annette Boorman
April 21, 2010 06:36 AM
Thank you, Jolene, for such a practical reminder of Who God is! I was also struck by the key verse you chose, because I actually HAVE had the hubris to try to give orders to the morning one time when I was little...and was totally dismayed that it didn't respond! :-) Ask me about that sometime!
RICH HELLER
April 21, 2010 06:50 AM
JoLeen thanks for sharing from you heart. Great devo.
Benton Higgins
April 21, 2010 07:13 AM
Very insightful. There is NOTHING we have that has not been GIVEN to us. I have managed only to become "wretched, blind, naked, and poor", and I even had help with that too. John 6:63 (NIV) "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing."
Mark Sutton
April 21, 2010 07:39 AM
Joleen, Thanks for the devotion. I am reminded of who God says He is "I am".
Marilyn Dixon
April 21, 2010 08:21 AM
God gave you some good words today, Joleen. Thanks for reminding us how we need to thank God for His help and provision and not be proud over our own accomplishments. What a great and awesome God we have that "gives orders to the morning" which we certainly could never do.
Cathy
April 21, 2010 08:58 AM
Thanks for your thoughts on this chapter, which I just read over several times. It is so cool and amazing when you consider the works of God's hands. I especially liked verse 36: "Who has put wisdom in the innermost being or given understanding to the mind?"
Darryl Worsham
April 21, 2010 09:09 AM
JoLeen, great reminder of where my place is and more importantly where God's place is. Weird but I seem to get those roles confused sometimes. Blessings, DW
Debbie Stein
April 21, 2010 09:52 AM
Thanks JoLeen! Such a good reminder. God truly has made you an amazing young woman!
Barbara
April 21, 2010 10:13 AM
I enjoyed your devo this morning, JoLeen. We so often tend to put God in a box, but this chapter reminds us that He would never fit! Thank you for being transparent and sharing your heart! And by the way, I think you are awesome! :)
Betsy Doolittle
April 21, 2010 11:00 AM
JoLeen- Thank you for your very clear exhortation to take God at his word! It's so easy to get muddled up in my thinking, and yet this passage, like most of God's word, leaves no room for muddled heads!
Cindy Hawks
April 21, 2010 11:00 AM
JoLeen, Loved your insights! You are right. Our pride is so laughable in light of what WE really can do and what GOD really can do and does. My personal favorite question by God in this passage is in v. 36: "Who endowed the heart with wisdom or gave understanding to the mind?" It's not just a little ironic that we use our wisdom to question the wisdom of the One who gave us wisdom. Silly.
April 21, 2010 11:24 AM
Thanks for an awesome devotional and the reminder that, "it is not about me" and to get off the laughable hamster wheel of controlling a trip to nowhere and let people see what God has done for me. You are wise for your years!