Can you hunt the prey for the lion?

One of our fun-discoveries in the UK has been "The Pub-Quiz".  Gordon and I have been to a memorable pub-quiz in Glasgow: much more entertaining  than a list of questions answered by groups of people in an endearing accent!  Just as entertaining is the traditional quiz at our Christmas church parties in Surrey and Knebworth, Hertfordshire.  For most of the answers you need to have life-long local knowledge, so Gordon and I just play and laugh along ignorant of many of the answers!  We rely on our accents and know it is not an IQ-test - and even if it is:  our self-esteem, thankfully, does not hinge on our brilliancy - or lack of it!  Here we go again:  grace, grace, grace - how else!?

Well!  Towards the end of the book of Job, we find the mother of all quizes:  God tells Job to brace himself like a man and see how he does with HIS 64 questions.   Category:  science and nature.

One of God's 64 questions: 
 "Can you hunt the prey for the lion?"

To help us along in considering God's question, here is a video clip on hunting lions:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkZ8kOMWTdI

 "Can you hunt the prey for the lion?"

Job's response in Job 42:

• Job is in awe of God's sovereignty

Verse 2 "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted."

• Job admits his lack of information and understanding:

Verse 3 "Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know."

• Job's personal encounter with His God

Verse 5 "My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you"

• Job repents - easily to take this verse out of context!   The rest of Job makes sense to Job's repentance - and ours!

Verse 6 "Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

As we are now only days away from the 4th anniversary of our Michael's (physical) death, we remember our lovely son and brother and  friend, with sore and yearning hearts.  What an incredible gap Michael has left in our lives!

And....at the same time, we are:
1) resting in God's sovereign purposes and most wonderful promises,
2) recognising that we have only part of the picture of our LORD'S ways and plans.
   No, I cannot hunt the prey for the lion!!   It is clear that we have not - by a far shot - adequate    understanding. 

When we are truly face to face with God, there is no ways we can charge and challenge Him about Michael's suffering with cancer and  death shortly after his 27th birthday. 

We humbly thank our sovereign and compassionate God:
That He allows - even invites - us to reason and ask questions. 
For that  total and experienced security in His sovereignty
For lots of space to mourn and weep. 
For those family and friends who understand.
For God's own complete understanding of our unique loss, having suffered incomparably Himself. 

We are always so acutely aware that suffering is wide-spread - you may very well be reading this as a suffering one...we hug one another and, hopefully,  go after Job's response together.  Our almighty God is our Refuge and  Comforter - a thousand times and infinitely more, worthy of our trust!