God is With Us

“What is mankind that you make so much of them, that you give them so much attention, that you examine them every morning and test them every moment? Will you never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant? (Job 7:17-19)

What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him? (Psalm 8:4)

In the Job passage and in this Psalm of David, we see almost identical sentiments. However, they are written with very different background.

In Job 7, we see Job lamenting the tragedy of life and his current struggle. Job had just lost his children, flocks and herds, servants, property…and now his body was under the attack of the enemy and he suffered with “painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head”. At this point, Job was feeling as if God had removed His loving care and instead was trying him, was pushing him, was making a target of him – for some destruction. This severe affliction did not make sense to Job who saw himself as being in good standing with God.

Today we know that Job was, in fact, in good standing with God. God said that Job was blameless and upright and that he was a man of integrity who feared God and shunned evil. And it was God who allowed the enemy to try Job. God did not allow the enemy to have free reign but He allowed some room for trial.

Now, let’s move forward about 400 years to when David penned Psalm 8. Again, David almost quoted what we see in Job 7, but from a different perspective. David is marveling at the awesomeness of God’s creation – the heavens, His works, the moon, the stars. 

I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous, your handmade sky-jewelry, moon and stars mounted in their settings. Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, why do you bother with us?     Why take a second look our way? (Psalm 8:3&4 MSG)

David is amazed to understand that the God of the universe, in His awesome power, and considering all that He’s ordained, would even be concerned with mankind. Would provide for mankind. Would care about us. Matthew Henry expresses it this way: "Lord, what is man (enosh, sinful, weak, miserable man, a creature so forgetful of thee and his duty to thee) that thou art thus mindful of him, that thou takest cognizance of him and of his actions and affairs, that in the making of the world thou hadst a respect to him! What is the son of man, that thou visitest him, that thou not only feedest him and clothest him, protectest him and providest for him, in common with other creatures, but visited him as one friend visits another, art pleased to converse with him and concern thyself for him! What is man—(so mean a creature), that he should be thus honoured—(so sinful a creature), that he should be thus countenanced and favoured!’’

Yes! Both Job and David were right. God does concern Himself with our daily affairs. He is involved in the life of the believer in an intimate way. However, He is not pursuing our destruction or making a game of hurting and torturing us.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  (Jeremiah 29:11)

The circumstances that God allows in our lives may not always be what we consider to be pleasant but we are assured from His word that they are profitable for us.

In the midst of it all, we know that our loving God is with us.