Read: Job 38:19-33
Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion? (v. 31)
As someone who struggles daily with anxiety, I work hard to feel like I am in control in my life. I make to-do lists and cross each item off carefully one by one as a sign that I am doing a good job. As a fragile human, you can easily turn to money, job titles, and relationships to provide a sense of security. But if you’re like me, the year 2020 completely shattered your illusion of control as the entire world experienced disruption and the devastation of an ever-morphing disease we barely understood. In our utter helplessness we wondered, Where is God in all of this?
In the book of Job, we meet a righteous man whose life was also turned completely upside down with devastation, disease, and great personal loss. The primary question haunting Job was, “Where is God in this inexplicable suffering?” At the end of the book, God answered Job directly from the midst of a whirlwind in a conversation that reoriented Job towards worship and awe.
In today’s passage, God points to his order and power as displayed in the heavens, specifically through the constellations (vv. 31-33). No matter how out of control our lives may feel, the patterns of the stars and seasons serve to remind us that God is in control of our lives—even in times of suffering. With God in control, we are free to rest in his goodness and follow his lead instead of anxiously trying to make our own plans succeed.
As you pray, ask God to help you rest in his sovereignty today.
About the Author
Katelyn J. Dixon is a writer and photographer from Auburn, Washington. When she’s not creating, she enjoys exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband Drew and partnering with him in life and ministry.
