Job 26:1-14: a reflection

1Then Job answered, 2“How have you helped him who is without power! How have you saved the arm that has no strength! 3How have you counseled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge! 4To whom have you uttered words? Whose spirit came out of you? 5“The departed spirits tremble, those beneath the waters and all that live in them. 6Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering. 7He stretches out the north over empty space, and hangs the earth on nothing. 8He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not burst under them. 9He encloses the face of his throne, and spreads his cloud on it. 10He has described a boundary on the surface of the waters, and to the confines of light and darkness. 11The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his rebuke. 12He stirs up the sea with his power, and by his understanding he strikes through Rahab. 13By his Spirit the heavens are garnished. His hand has pierced the swift serpent. 14Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways. How small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

Job speaks in wonder of the greatness of God in creation. God stretches out the heavens over empty space, he says, and hangs the earth on nothing; he binds up the waters in the clouds, marks out the horizon, holds the pillars of heaven. And then Job concludes with a striking confession of how little we grasp of God: Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways; how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power, who can understand?

Notice Job's humility before the greatness of God. He describes wonders of God's work in creation, and then admits that all of this is only the outskirts, the faint edges, of God's ways; that what we perceive of God is only a small whisper, while the full thunder of his greatness lies far beyond our understanding. Job does not claim to comprehend God; he stands in awe before a greatness that exceeds all he can grasp, aware that he perceives only the smallest hint of it.

That is a fitting posture for us before God. We can fall into speaking of God as though we had him figured out, as though our understanding could contain him; but Job reminds us that what we grasp of God is only a whisper, the outskirts of his ways, while his greatness exceeds all our understanding. This humility does not make God distant, but fills us with awe. Hold your understanding of God humbly, aware that you perceive only the faint edges of a greatness beyond your grasp. Let the little you do know of God fill you with wonder at how much more there is, and worship the God whose greatness exceeds all understanding, of whom you hear, as Job said, only a small whisper.

Lord, Job spoke in wonder of your greatness in creation, how you hang the earth on nothing and stretch out the heavens, and then confessed that all this is but the outskirts of your ways, that we hear only a small whisper of you, while the thunder of your greatness lies beyond our understanding. Give me that humility before you. I can fall into speaking of you as though I had you figured out, as though my understanding could contain you; but Job reminds me that what I grasp of you is only a whisper, the faint edges of your ways, while your greatness exceeds all my understanding. Let this humility fill me not with distance but with awe. Help me hold my understanding of you humbly, aware that I perceive only the outskirts of a greatness beyond my grasp. Let the little I do know of you fill me with wonder at how much more there is, and help me worship you, whose greatness exceeds all understanding. I bow before you, of whom I hear only a whisper.