When We Don't Understand

Job 19:25 (CEB)I know that my redeemer is alive, and afterward, he’ll rise upon the dust. Job’s friends think they have God figured out.Job has lost almost everything, and they think they know why. Surely, he must have done something terrible. God rewards good people and punishes bad people, they reason, so if Job is suffering, Job must be guilty.Job knows they’re wrong. But he doesn’t understand what God is doing either. In fact, much of the book consists of Job demanding an explanation. At least he knows he hasn't figured it all out.Then, in the middle of all that confusion, Job says something remarkable: I know that my redeemer is alive.Scholars debate exactly what Job means by “redeemer” here. But perhaps the most important thing is what Job doesn’t say. He doesn’t say, “I understand.” He says, “I know.”I once had a little Chihuahua who hated going to the veterinarian. From her perspective, I can only imagine how bewildering it seemed. The person she trusted most would carry her into a strange place and allow a woman in a white coat to poke her with needles.She couldn’t possibly understand why I allowed that.But afterward, she still wanted me. She still climbed into my lap. She still licked my hand. She didn’t understand what had happened, but she knew whom she trusted.Sometimes we want faith to give us explanations. Job reminds us that faith can survive without them.There are things about suffering, loss, and even God that lie beyond our ability to understand. The book of Job ultimately refuses to give us (or Job) a tidy explanation for all of them.But it gives us something else.We may not understand God. We may argue with God or even cry out to him in anger and confusion.And still, with Job, we can say: I know that my redeemer lives.Let's pray.Lord, when I cannot understand what is happening, help me remember who you are. Give me faith that can ask hard questions, endure uncertainty, and still reach for you. In Jesus' name, through whom we can know you, Amen.This devotional was written and read by Donn King.Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.