What's Wrong With "I Don't Know?"

 

 

Job 42:3 You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.

Job continues his confession to God. Obviously cut to the heart from God’s original portion of the conversation which we find, almost word for word in Job 38:2, when God asked Job "Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?”

 

In effect, Job was saying to God, “I am that man! I am the one who darkens counsel without knowledge. I opened my yapper and spoke of things I don’t understand. Things which are way beyond my level of understanding.”

 

How many times are we guilty of the same? Why do we feel when someone asks us a tough question about God, that we must come up with an answer? We get asked such things as, “Why does God allow suffering? Why did God allow the tragedy of 9/11 to occur? Why hasn’t God provided a cure for cancer? And one that’s very personal for me, “Why am I still on oxygen after coming down with Covid in October?”.

When I went in for my follow up vaccine yesterday, the nurse looked at my record and referred to me as a “long-hauler.” Well, by God’s grace I pray I remain a “long hauler” because Jesus said in Mt 24:13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Long haulers know that it is by God’s grace and mercy that our faith perseveres. It is His gift of faith that helps me persevere and remain with Him for the “long haul.”  

 

You know, it  wouldn’t hurt sometimes just to confess our ignorance as Job did, and just say, “I don’t know Margo”

 

God does not require the followers of Jesus to explain God’s actions. He just asks us to be ready to give an answer for why we believe. 1Pe 3:15 says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;”

 

Can you do that? As a personal exercise for yourself today, I challenge you (and I) to express the hope that is in you. Write it down! Express it verbally! Who knows, you may be called upon by someone to express that hope even today, thereby giving them hope for the long haul.